Separate Ways
by Keijo6
Summary: An unfortunate misunderstanding sets forth a long chain of events, initiating a desperate search and finally leading to a conclusion no one had would have wanted to happen. What follows is an adventure that leads to many wondrous journeys and fearful nightmares that leave no one unchanged. Follow Ruby and Petrie as they struggle against all the odds to survive the Separate Ways.
1. The Unanswered Question

**Hi all! After a number of short stories, I have decided to do a longer LBT story, one that'll lead our main characters on a long journey of wonder and self-discovery. This story, The Separate Ways, will be a long path that won't be easy for the characters involved and parts of the story will get rather intense but it will also contain times of happiness and relief. I truly hope you'll enjoy following this journey! On a side note, I'm doing this alongside "Under the Scarlet Banner", a World of Warcraft story. I'm writing one story at a time in turns and both of them will receive equal focus. Be sure to check out that one also if you're interested! :)**

* * *

 **The Unanswered Question**

A heavy rustle filled the air when a gentle breath of wind flowed through the trees. The noon was high and the unusually hot rays of the Bright Circle forced many of the dinosaurs to seek shelter or at least wait until the hot hours were over. This kind of weather was a perfect time for a group of seven young dinosaurs to learn new things from their long-time teacher, Mr. Thicknose. Ever since their first times together, the old dinosaur had grown very fond of the seven and their conversations had become more usual since then. The curious questions and glad answers continued for a long time in the same manner as they usually had.

"Hmph! Are we supposed to believe the Cold Times become more usual and severe just because of moving far enough in one direction?" Cera snorted as the old dinosaur told his tale about the stories the wandering fliers had told him about their travels a long time ago. Thicknose didn't seem offended as he had learned to accept that not all of his many stories were true. Once, he had done his best to convince himself of his infallibility but those thoughts had long since vanished from his mind. Thicknose still saw his stories as a source of great knowledge but he nowadays told them with some reservations. However, he still wished that many of his lessons carried some truth in them and that those younger to him would learn something from them.

"Well, I honestly cannot say if that's the whole truth. Not many fliers go that far and return here. Those lands are so far away that none of us landwalkers can go there. Yet, not every place is like the next one. The way I see it, there could be anything out there. What a shame I'm too old to even the slightest of hopes of seeing them." The grey elder sighed as he was preparing to conclude his lesson. The hottest hour of the day was slowly starting to pass and the sweet chill of the afternoon started to flow in the air. However, he was immediately alerted when Ducky spoke in an excited voice.

"They might be right. Farwalkers have seen quite a number of things, they have!" Cera sighed as she was about to answer to the Swimmer's hopeful words. However, Littlefoot knew that things could quickly turn into arguing and decided to end the brewing fight and spoke to the older dinosaur in a thankful voice.

"Thanks for the lesson, Mr. Thicknose. We've planned to go look if there's anything left to be seen in the Canyon of Shiny Stones. It's likely safe at this point. See ya later!" The whole Valley knew of the incident which the whole Southern Valley had to be evacuated for weeks. Thicknose couldn't say he was happy to hear about the younglings' destination but it wasn't his place to prevent them anymore. The group turned to walk away when Thicknose suddenly called after them.

"Just be safe! Ruby, could I change a few words with you?" His voice was somewhat tired from all the speaking but it still carried the unmistakable tone of genuine curiosity. The fast runner turned around and approached him swiftly.

"Sure, Mr. Thicknose! But I'll have to know which you want to talk about f I'll have to speak about it." Her voice was interested and her face held her usual amount of cheer and friendliness. Each of those present saw that Thicknose wanted to talk with Ruby in private when Ducky called to her as the others started to depart towards the Smoking Mountain.

"We'll see you in the Canyon later on! Have fun, Ruby!"

"I'll come after you soon!" Ruby called as she turned back on the others to look at the older dinosaur. She was really interested to hear what the other dinosaur was going to ask and she was happy to answer whatever was on his mind. The fast runner was extremely grateful to the aged male for sharing so much of his knowledge with her. All her life Ruby had been a curious soul and she loved to gain and share the information she had gathered in the Beyond. Maybe there was something he thought only she should know?

"You know, Ruby, there has been a lot of stories about different leaf-eaters and sharpteeth but actually very few about you fast runners or half-teeth in general. I'd like to know more about your kind and why there has been so little stories going around about you." Thicknose's voice was friendly and Ruby could see that his curiosity was genuine. However, the fast runner wasn't exactly thrilled by the question. There were many reasons for the relative isolation of her kind, many of which she wasn't exactly encouraged to share with outsiders. The younger dinosaur wasn't sure if there was any harm in doing so but many of the wisdoms she had learned seemed underline the importance of knowledge. She hesitated a bit as she started to speak but quickly recovered her usual confidence.

"Well… we don't usually wish to be causing any messes. My family has always preferred to live in a bit more unhospitable places that provide us with shelter from attention." Thicknose listened to her and then answered deep in thought. The answer was quite what he had expected but did the fast runner know all of the implications of her words?

"I see… few of us here in the Valley trusted you initially and I can see that in the Mysterious Beyond things get even more dangerous. But I've heard that your kind has managed to survive quite well despite all of the distrust and even hostility that exists between our kinds out there." The indirect question puzzled Ruby at first but she quickly understood what the other dinosaur meant.

"I don't usually think about it like that. I don't have to eat red food whereas poor Chomper… But I can see what you mean. The fliers still don't trust us completely because if they did, they wouldn't fear us all the time. Then again, I was always taught to get to no one's bad side because of the distrust towards us half-teeth. Mother told me that I'll stay safe if I stay out of danger and make no enemies." Ruby swiftly shifted into a more melancholic expression as she recalled her departure from her family. Even with their brief reunification just before the last Cold Time, she still missed them dearly. As long as Red Claw held his reign of terror in the Mysterious Beyond, she and Chomper would forced to stay in the Valley.

Thicknose looked at her in sympathy as he weighed the younger dinosaur's words. It was clear that she wouldn't tell her everything she knew but he was happy to that she had decided to share some of her knowledge with him. He chuckled heavily as he answered.

"That's quite a different way to survive in life than the one my kind teach their offspring. But at my age I think your advice seems even better. After all, I cannot pick many fights anymore." Thicknose looked at the fast runner in appreciation when she continued to speak after some hesitation.

"We cannot do so most of the time. We are only fast so we have no choice but to hide and stalk. Luckily, that's what we're good at doing. Also, we can eat pretty much anything we need to. I guess there's some reason why fast runners act the way they do." Ruby looked at Thicknose in slight uneasiness as she saw the older dinosaur's slightly resentful look at this knowledge. The older dinosaur seemed thoughtful, as if he was still holding something back. It seemed like the male was trying to take the conversation somewhere Ruby hadn't expected. She was happy to share her knowledge but she couldn't help but think about her friends and how their trip to the canyon was going.

* * *

The Smoking Mountain was completely silent as the cold wind of late Warm Time blew around it. Everywhere around the volcano the remnants of its last eruption could be seen. The small canyons and ravines that had once dotted the landscape were filled with grey, hardened fire water that had turned most of the mountain's surroundings into a mostly flat, gray desert. Littlefoot frowned as he looked at the sight before him.

"Doesn't look too good. I wonder if any of the Canyon survived this…" He still shuddered as he remembered the last trip here. It was once of the closest calls in his life and if it hadn't for his grandparents, he and his friends would have met their ends there. It had been two Cold Times since that day and only now did the six dinosaurs found the courage to return there.

"There has to be something left… hopefully the Smoking Mountain is kinder to us this time!" Chomper said in deep worry, his mind fixed on their last trip. Petrie's fear about displeasing the Mountain had also affected him too since the seemingly impossible timing of the eruption.

"It won't be because it's just a big, stupid mountain! There's nothing in there that we can do to please it!" Cera was really getting fed up with trying to calm Petrie and Chomper down over their superstitions. There might have been unfortunate accidents before but that's all they were.

"Coming here no good way to prepare for Late Warm Time's Day! This place bring bad luck and could make the next Warm Time cold and rainy!" Petrie's voice was frightened as he saw the Mountain to his right. Ducky quickly answered to her friend in a consoling voice.

"The Day will go just fine, Petrie. We'll be back in time to prepare for it, we will." Petrie looked at her with a still-worried expression and answered quickly.

"If only bad luck not get in those preparations too…" Cera looked at the flier in chagrin. She could listen about Petrie's celebrations or bad luck on the same day but simultaneously they were starting to get on her nerves.

"Just calm down, Petrie. There won't be any bad luck waiting for us because there isn't any! Is that clear?" She struggled not to raise her voice when Littlefoot decided to calm down the situation. He had never taken any real sides with those arguments and he wasn't willing to begin now. He was having a hard time believing everything Petrie said but in the on the hand, he had seen far stranger things during his lifetime. Silence was the best policy here.

"Be careful here. The fire water doesn't seem to have sank the whole Canyon but the way down there has been mostly cut. Let's try to see if there's any way we can use it." The longneck looked at the formerly downhill path that had led to the Canyon. Now, a monolith of petrified fire water opened up before him, almost turning the old path into a continuation of the Smoking Mountain's crater. However, the Canyon itself seemed to have been submerged only partially. Maybe there was something left of it. The longneck looked at the scene in front of him before he started to slowly walk down the petrified mass towards the cliffs that had marked the borders of the Canyon.

"Petrie, could please take a look if the way's still open before we get there?" Cera asked as she looked at Littlefoot's carefully moving downhill. The flier shuddered at the question, clearly disturbed as he remembered his attempt to fly over the Mountain itself. However, he wasn't asked to do that now so those fears would be irrational now. With slight hesitation, he answered.

"Me will take a look. Wait a moment." The flier took off quickly and followed the flow of the fire water and he saw the answer to Cera's question. He called his friends as he looked at the remnants of the eruption two Cold Times ago.

"There be some high rocks on the way but you able to get over them. Me think." His voice was relieved as he returned to the ground. The trip would be easier this time, unless the Smoking Mountain decided to erupt again. Cera sighed as she started to follow Littlefoot.

"You think? That's always reassuring…"

* * *

Mr. Thicknose looked at Ruby with a thoughtful expression. The young fast runner possessed a great decree of knowledge and insight about life and all its wonders. However, there was something the older dinosaur wished to ask from his purple counterpart.

"Not many of all the kinds I've heard about have possessed so many Wisdoms about survival. I can see that the fast runners are quite extraordinary in many ways." Thicknose didn't know if he had chosen his words correctly but Ruby looked at him in clear confusion.

"Wh… what do you mean?" She asked in an unsure voice, not understanding what the larger dinosaur was aiming at.

"I mean that fast runners are in many ways better suited for survival in the Beyond. Of course, here in the Valley our kinds do not matter that much but if something ever happens, know that your place in this world is luckier than many others'." Thicknose seemed a bit hesitant to say it but he knew he was right. He wanted Ruby to know a bit more of her own kind as some kind of exchange for her contributions to his own knowledge. Ruby looked a bit puzzled as she answered once again. Her voice wavered a little as she spoke slowly.

"Well, I guess you're right… mommy often told me that there are many good things in being what I am… because if I weren't that… I wouldn't be what I am. But there are many good things in being a longneck or a flier, too!" Ruby tried to take away the conversation from the subject. She was falling ever deeper in thought by the older dinosaur's words even if she couldn't deny them. Thicknose answered in a slow voice.

"There are… But few kinds can escape the danger as well as yours. A longneck can fall to a two-footer sharptooth while fliers have their own adversaries. Of course, you have the fastbiters but I've heard that they usually wish to find an easier meal." Thicknose finished with a firm voice. Ruby looked at him in deep puzzlement and after a moment, she whispered in a wondering voice the only thing she could.

"Why do you tell me this, Mr. Thicknose?" The young fast runner's question was a one Thicknose had expected and he answered in an honest and friendly voice.

"As I said, I know very little of your kind but I also wanted to share my own knowledge about them. I hope you understand the importance of your kind's wisdoms, if only for your future." Thicknose's answer laid a huge weight on Ruby's shoulders. Apparently Thicknose thought her departure from the Valley inevitable, if not because of her diet, then at least because of her kind's way of life. Her voice was low and deep as she answered.

"I… think I understand. Thank you for sharing this with me. I'll think more about this later, I'll need to put my thoughts together. Anyway, see you Mr. Thicknose!" Ruby said before she turned around and started to sprint away. Thicknose answered her before she started to run back to her friends.

"Likewise. See you some other day!"

Ruby was deep in thought as she headed towards the Canyon of Shiny Stones. She had never thought about her own kind before as most of those worries had been driven towards Chomper. She had promised to look after him and to try to shelter him from Red Claw. However, she had long since accepted the fact that Chomper couldn't live in the Valley forever but what about herself? She wasn't a leaf-eater and as Thicknose had pointed out, it wasn't usual for her kind to live with the other kinds. Maybe even her own future wasn't as set in stone as she had previously thought.

* * *

Petrie felt his nervousness calm down a little as his friends slowly climb over the lines of rocks blocking the entrance into the Canyon. Not surprisingly, Spike had a hard time trying to get himself over them but with a little help, the spiketail managed to lift himself over them. The five dinosaurs panted a little before they started to look at the sight around them. What had once been a deep canyon now seemed like a tiny plateau surrounded by two lines of stone which resembled a dinosaur's back sails. But most importantly, the thing that gave the whole place its name was still there.

"Shiny Stones! They're still here!" Littlefoot called as he looked at the sight around him. Even if most of the Canyon wasn't there anymore, the former highest part of still contained the gems the place was known for.

"And they're still as pretty as they were last time! They are!" Ducky said as she admired a large blue crystal sticking out of a wall.

"Maybe you can finally give Tria the stone you lost back then?" Chomper asked in a cheeky smile from Cera who thought for a moment before she answered. The unsavory memory of the long-ago accident returned to her mind only after a moment's thinking.

"You still remind me of that? Well, I'll take a look…" She spoke in a normal voice as she realized that Chomper was right. Tria would be surprised to receive the gift she had waited for so long.

Petrie was searching the walls for the prettiest stones he could find. Maybe, if he found something truly spectacular, the passed Warm Time would also like it and pass its good mood to the next one. He didn't want to think of the possibility that he or his friends would doom themselves to a long time of bad luck.

After some time of searching, the flier's eyes fixed on a large purple crystal, which was noticeably stinging off from the wall of stone. He could clearly see that he couldn't break it off by himself. Petrie was about to ask someone do the job for him before Spike hit the shiny stone with his tail. It broke off from the wall and Petrie grabbed it from the ground.

"Thanks, Spike! Me sure the Warm Time will be very happy with this!" Littlefoot smiled at his friend's joy and was about to answer him before he heard something that caught his attention in an unwelcome way. The ground was shaking slightly, hardly noticeably but he wasn't about to let history repeat itself. He quickly called on to his friends.

"Uhhh, guys… The ground is shaking slightly. It doesn't feel the same as last time but I don't want to see whether it's going to get worse." The others looked at the longneck in worry and Chomper was the next one to speak.

"You're right! Let's go, it seems the Smoking Mountain really doesn't like us." His voice was miserable and the sharptooth looked even more disturbed by Cera's response. The threehorn quickly hit the wall and a small, yellow crystal fell down from it.

"Stop it already! I can hear it too now but I'm not blaming anyone for it! Still, let's go!" Her voice lacked her usual firmness as she couldn't deny the situation's eeriness. A small pathway could be seen heading away from Canyon leading away from the Smoking Mountain. It didn't take a long time until all of the six dinosaurs had escaped the unsteady surroundings of the Smoking Mountain.

* * *

Ruby looked at the sight in front of her. The way to the crater opened just before the fast runner but the mountain itself seemed to be emitting thicker than usual smoke. Her expression immediately turned into one of concern as she looked at the sight before her. Even if the volcano still seemed somewhat calm, she knew using the crater itself would be out of question.

 _They cannot stay there for any longer which they know but… which way can they get away from there? We don't know if there are any ways out of there anymore!_

The fast runner looked at her surroundings in case there were any new paths that gave her any hope of bypassing the Smoking Mountain. After a moment, she noticed there was a small ravine leading to the right direction not far to her left. Ruby sprinted towards it quickly and followed it for some time until the path ended in a dead end. What had looked like a long, usable path was in reality little more than a cleft in the cliffs surrounding the Mountain. She was quickly getting frustrated at her inability to find a way to her friends and was about to turn around to look for another way when she heard a familiar voice from above her.

* * *

"We're almost out of there! The way is already beginning to go downwards!" Littlefoot called as he looked at the narrow, winding pathways in front of him. Only small cracks opened between the high cliffs on the dinosaurs' sides, with small cliffs here and there. From behind one of them, Petrie thought he heard a faint voice calling for him. The flier thought for a moment before he reacted, thinking the situation only made him imagine things. However, after a moment of thinking he decided that he had actually heard what he thought.

"Me think me heard Ruby call! Petrie check!" He took off before anyone could answer to him and to his relief, he could soon see he was right. The fast runner was standing on a gorge far below the pathway the others used, looking at the approaching flier in relief.

"What you do there, Ruby? That be no way to the Canyon!" Petrie's voice was somewhat amused as he spoke. He had relaxed somewhat after the Smoking Mountain had calmed down. Ruby looked at him in relief, due to the fact that the flier had heard her call from the ravine.

"I thought you were in trouble and since I couldn't use the main way, I thought this would perhaps lead to you. It seems I was wrong." The fast runner shrugged as she answered. Petrie's antics signaled that nothing serious had happened during their trip even with the threatening behavior of the Smoking Mountain.

"Oh no, everyone safe already. The Canyon not completely buried and we even find good shiny stones for the Celebration! Uhh… what did Thicknose want to talk about?" Petrie smiled as he referred to the upcoming evening. He couldn't wait to spare his thanks to the Warm Time. Ruby looked slightly disappointed due to the fact that she had missed the apparently successful trip to the Canyon. She answered Petrie's question in an unsure voice, still not knowing what to make of the old dinosaur's words.

"Nothing important. He just wanted to know about fast runners and how we survive in the Beyond. Of course, I told him what I know." Ruby had begun to walk back towards the Valley to meet her friends when they would find the exit from their own trip.

"And what you know?" Petrie asked the obvious question to which Ruby shrugged slightly. She wasn't exactly excited to recite everything all over again but what else did she have to on the way back? The two friends' conversation went on as they walked through the narrow pathway back towards home.

* * *

"Where are we? This isn't the way we came here!" Chomper exclaimed as a view of a large forest opened up before him.

"The Smoking Mountain is over there so we shouldn't be too far away from the Valley." Littlefoot said as he looked at the scene around him. They had left the endless maze of tiny passages inside in the surrounding hills through what seemed like a mere small hole from the outside. Around him opened a small clearing near the cliffs and behind it opened a familiar woodland which led back to the Valley. The longneck sighed in relief as he noticed that shaking of the ground had stopped. They were safe once again and this time they had managed to bring the shiny stones with them.

"I hope we won't be going back there in a while, no no no. Something bad happens every time we go there! Hopefully Petrie is alright." Ducky sighed as she looked at the direction she thought the flier had went to look for Ruby.

"They are probably on their way back by now. We should go too or Petrie will remind us for weeks if we miss the evening's celebrations." Cera snorted as she spoke even if she wasn't exactly opposed to the idea anymore. Even if she had once shunned anything that didn't have a clear explanation to it, she had since accepted that it was alright to appreciate the good things around her once in a while. She wouldn't confess it to anyone but she was actually rather looking forward to the evening. Chomper smiled at her as he actually started to sniff heavily in the air. After a moment, he cheerfully exclaimed.

"I can smell them! They're waiting at the edge of the forest near the Smoking Mountain! Let's go after them!" The sharptooth started moving towards the forest and the direction where he had smelled the two. Without much hesitation the five followed the blue sharptooth, willing to rejoin their friends. The first, eerie events of the day still haunted the backs of their minds but, for now, all of them yearned to begin the preparations for the evening. Just like the Bright Circle Celebration, this was an occasion all of them waited eagerly. The coming evening and night would be ones to remember.


	2. The Season's End

**The Season's End**

The shadows of the evening were slowly stretching further and further in the meadows surrounding the Thundering Falls. The steady noise of the falling waters and the gentle breeze of the twilight wind brought a great amount of joy to Petrie who was getting ready for the celebrations of the Late Warm Time's Day. From this point on, long periods of skywater would become more frequent and in some, increasingly common circumstances, frozen sky stars. This celebration would signal the preparation for those times and it was an opportunity to show to the Warm Times that their quick return would be a welcome occurrence.

"Everything is starting to be ready with us, Petrie! Do you know when the others are coming?" Petrie's internal thoughts were quickly interrupted by Littlefoot's voice who called to the flier as he was flying towards his nest. Petrie quickly turned to look at the longneck who looked at him with an expectant expression. The flier landed quickly near his friend and answered in a happy voice as a gust of wind complicated his landing slightly.

"Petrie's been too busy to look for the others but the celebration's gonna start soon! They have not much time left! Me just hope they've prepared well!" Petrie answered to Littlefoot who nodded after his friend had concluded. It was clear that the larger dinosaur was also waiting eagerly to the gathering. It was a way to honor the ended the passed season by telling to others some ways when they had helped the others.

"I'm sure we all have, Petrie! There's happened a lot in the Warm Time and I'm sure some of us have something to tell about it." Littlefoot said to Petrie who smiled back to him and then spoke shortly before he resumed his journey towards his nest.

"You right, Littlefoot! Petrie still have some things me have to take care of. See you soon!" Petrie took off quickly and left the longneck looking at his surroundings for a moment before he headed towards the gathering area near the mighty waterfalls. Not all of the Valley's residents would be present as some kinds like clubtails and domeheads had always had minimum interest in such affairs. Still, Littlefoot imagined most of the seven dinosaurs' families would be present except most likely for Mr. Threehorn, who seemed to have decided that he had already given in to too many celebrations and Littlefoot's own Grandfather who had fallen sick lately. Still, Littlefoot was far from concerned as his illness didn't seem serious but it would probably be best if he were allowed to rest for today.

* * *

Cera walked through the forest near the Roaring Falls in chagrin. Even if her father had decided to give in to the Bright Circle Celebration, he had always been even more restrained concerning the other, less known celebrations like this one. Her stepmother would come a little later but it just wasn't the same if everyone weren't there. Cera loved her father but there were many times when his preoccupations really got on her nerves. Still, she forgave him largely for the recent compromises he had done with his old behavior and new responsibilities. Still, that didn't change the fact that he was still stubborn and often ended in arguments with his daughter.

The threehorn's feelings became slightly more relaxed as she approached the Falls. Even without her father, she hoped this would be a very enjoyable evening, as she had become very fond of these meetings due to the many silly things she would be allowed to laugh on and the new, interesting things she could learn about the others. Cera looked at the canopy of the trees and the pale moon shining above them. Today's weather had been unusually hot for the late Warm Time but it had paved way for a perfectly pleasant night. Cera turned her gaze into the small lake that opened under the Roaring Falls and saw that a number of dinosaurs had already arrived to the meeting place, among them a certain familiar longneck.

"Littlefoot! Haven't any of the others come here yet?" The threehorn said as she approached the longneck. She was a bit surprised by the fact that Petrie hadn't been the first one but on the other hand, the flier had been very busy the whole day and in the end, it was hardly surprising that Petrie was still on his way.

"Hi, Cera! It seems so but I just met Petrie and he said he'd be here soon. The others are probably on the way already." Littlefoot restrained his smile somewhat as he saw Cera's somewhat weary eyes. It was clear she had been through a tiring conversation that hadn't gone her way. The threehorn answered shortly to her friend's words.

"So your grandpa's not coming here today?" Was her brief answer to which Littlefoot gritted his teeth somewhat. The threehorn saw his grandmother standing nearby but her mate was nowhere to be seen.

"Nope. He'll be fine but it's a shame that he couldn't come here." There was clear regret in Littlefoot's voice but he knew there was nothing he could do and spoiling his own evening because of it would help no one. Cera was looking at the longneck, preparing to answer when she saw Ducky and Spike approaching from a nearby hill. The two approached swiftly as Littlefoot called to them in an excited voice. Many others had already come to the meeting place and the rest of the prospective attendees would also come soon.

"Hi guys! What took you so long?" The longneck called as he turned to look at the two newcomers. It was clear that he was happy to see the two join the rest during this evening.

"Spike was in hurry eating but it didn't matter now that we are here, nope, nope!" Ducky said as Spike stopped walking near Cera. Ducky dismounted her adopted brother as he stopped. Soon, Petrie, Chomper and Ruby joined the others in anticipation for the soon-to-start tale-telling event. Petrie looked at the others expectantly, clearly willing to hear how the others wished to honor the ending Warm Time. The flier thought of his shiny stone, hoping it would be enough to please the passed time of Warmth and plenty.

* * *

Unlike the Bright Circle Celebration, today marked the day of gratefulness towards the whole season of Warmth and the good times it held. It was the culmination of the time of goodness and friendship as well as the most hospitable season of the Valley. To mark that gratefulness, the celebration would end in a day-long fast to mark the possible coming shortages in food, especially true to the herds roaming the wastes of the Mysterious Beyond. As a symbol of gesture for the Warm Time, everyone could offer a gift to it, a colorful stone, good food or any other small token of gratitude. And of course, telling funny stories about events that happened lately.

As most of the herds that were expected to be present today, Littlefoot's grandmother thought it was a good time for the celebration to begin. She was one of the few in the Valley that everyone would listen immediately and because of that, she thought she should start the celebration. The longneck took a few steps forward from the spot at the edge of the forest she had been standing on and spoke in a loud voice. Her voice was somewhat tired from the already long day but it carried the same joy and expectation that was present in most other attendees' voices.

"I think we're all here now. The night will be quite long so without further waiting, is there anyone who would like to be the one to tell the first tale?" The massive dinosaur's voice silenced the sounds of light-hearted chatter in the meadow and most gazes turned to look at her. Obviously, not everyone had the chance to tell about their experiences so only the most eager and willing usually took their turns. The familiar speaking rock stood near the edge of the field, waiting for the next one to climb on it to relay their stories forward.

Ruby looked at the elderly longneck with a joyful expression as she spoke. She wasn't prepared to speak herself due to her still-conflicting thoughts but she was willing to hear what the other ones had to say. The night had already fallen and the calm, clear night created an enchanting environment on an occasion like this. The fast runner was surprised as she heard a familiar voice speak beside her.

"I've got a good one! Wait just a moment!" Ruby chuckled as she looked Chomper head towards the rock. Even if she hadn't known that the sharptooth had something he wanted to tell, the fast runner wasn't exactly surprised by it. Chomper was very fond of sharing his experiences and this was a good opportunity for that. The overall mood was amused by the fact that the sharptooth wished to start and none of them had anything against it. There were some that still weren't completely trusting of the young carnivore but they had been forced to come to terms with his presence in the Valley.

Chomper had a bit of trouble rising to the stone but he quickly started his story. Chomper's speech was fast due to his excitement but he quickly noticed it and calmed down. The audience was silent as the sharptooth spoke.

"This all happened a few weeks ago, on a cold day. I was walking alone when I noticed something that looked like fun! A few tinysauruses were trying to cross a river but they were too small for it. They were trying to use stepping stones to cross it but the water was moving too fast for them. I offered to make sure none of them would be caught in the streams downstream and we continued for some time and we all found that like a great way to spend time. However…" Chomper took a mischievous smile as he took a short break. There was a twist to the story that he hoped would earn a few laughs from his audience.

"However, we didn't know the wind was rising while we played. One, very small tinysaur was suddenly swept away by the wind towards the streams near the spot. I tried to swim quickly to get her but my arms aren't too good for swimming. I caught her soon and she was a bit scared but it was alright. As a reward, they offered me a good amount of crawlers." Chomper licked his lips as he concluded his small story. Some of the audience looked a bit unconvinced, even disgusted but it did earn some laugh in among the crowd. No matter what those present thought about Chomper's antics, it was a good, lighthearted way to start the evening. Chomper smiled as he jumped off the rock and headed towards his friends once again.

"I never knew you did something like that, Chomper." Ruby whispered to the sharptooth as he approached the fast runner. Chomper answered only when he had stopped on his caretaker's side.

"I thought it would be a good surprise for you too, Ruby." Ruby merely smiled as an answer as an expectant silence fell upon the assembled dinosaurs. They waited eagerly who would be the next one to speak. Seconds flew by before anyone stepped forward. Before the situation turned into awkward, however, a certain form stepped, or rather, flew forward. Volant, Petrie's mother, landed on the stone as she prepared to start. She eyed the crowd in front of her for a moment before the flier started to speak.

"This is a story some of you might already know but I still see it as one that I thought would be something that would fit today well. As I often do, I was flying near the western end of the Valley at the start of the Warm Time. The tour was quite on ordinary one, with no surprises. That was, until I saw two hornbills in the far distance, barely alive after their long journey. Hadn't it been for me, the siblings would probably have never have made it. They were thirsty and weary but to their luck, I happened to be near that day. However, there was a clear problem with helping them. You see, bringing water and food to them was far from easy…" Volant flew off for a moment to search for something that could underline her story even more. She soon returned with a huge leaf that was almost as large as the flier herself. She nodded to a pair of fliers in the audience, who smiled back at her.

"I had to rely on the other fliers' help. We can fly with one leg grabbed on something so we took a leaf like this to the two poor things and after drinking their fill, they spent a few days here in the Valley. Some of you might remember them." The flier allowed a small time of gossip about the visitors which lightened the mood considerably. After a moment, Volant concluded her story.

"They moved on after a while because they felt their place wasn't here. In any case, I thought this was a good occasion to remember them. I enjoyed their company as long as it lasted." The flier's story sparked loud cheers to an extent Volant almost blushed. In any case, she soon flew off from the stone, giving the next possible speaker a chance to take the stage. Volant felt a rush of relief as she landed next to her offspring, happy to have contributed to the evening's main event. At this point, the meadow was full of friendly chatter and warm laughs.

The wait wasn't long until the next one to step forward. It was an adult crestback who moved towards the rock with firm steps. He smiled as he thought about his story in advance. The crowd looked at the newcomer in great interest as he started to speak. It wasn't usual that his kind partook on occasions like these so his readiness to speak in front of everyone was highly surprising.

"Well, let's see… During the dry days in the middle of the Warm Time, as you remember, the food was again becoming rather scarce and some of us were struggling to find enough green food. I was almost resigning to the thought that me and my family would have to survive on the dry, bitter, leaves that seemed to be the only thing that we still had left. But fortunately, luck changed at least on us soon. My mate found a cave that had great streams of water and as such, at least some green food. However, we weren't the only ones willing to eat it." Many of the residents of the Valley remembered the small draught in the Warm Time but it didn't matter a lot for many of them. The crestbacks' yearning for food was overshadowed only by that of the spiketails' so the subject of the tale wasn't a great surprise for many. Even then, they were intrigued to hear what the speaker had found in the caves surrounding the Valley.

"There lived many ground fuzzies that weren't too happy about our coming. Things could have gotten tricky if one of them hadn't been able to speak our language. What followed was an endless argument that almost ended in a failure but finally we came to an agreement. We could go eat them every second day so that they we wouldn't be able to destroy all of their food. Luckily, the dry time ended sooner than we thought but this experience taught me a lot about ground fuzzies. Without them, we would have been forced to a time of starvation." The crestback's dramatic ending prompted many laughs in the audience as all of them knew there never was a concrete risk of famine anywhere except in the crestback's ever-hungry mind. The four-legged dinosaur frowned heavily at this reaction but he was still happy to hear that his tale managed to brighten the others' day and he walked towards his family with a happy expression.

The night continued in a similar manner, with more than a dozen dinosaurs telling about their own happy memories about the past months. Among the speakers were Ducky's mother, Ura, Mr. Thicknose and Littlefoot who told about one of his and his friends' many adventures during the Warm Time. The wind rose slightly in the warm night and the few clouds disappeared under the perfectly clear night. Weariness started to creep over the dinosaurs' minds as the night grew older but the stories and the mood of the celebration kept everyone well awake. After the sixth speaker, Petrie briefly spoke to Ruby because of his excitement at the way the celebration was going.

"Petrie think everyone more grateful to the Warm Time than ever!" Petrie's voice was excited and it was clear that he was happy with the way things were going.

"Yes, they are! Everyone seems happy to be here… even though this is the day to be happy." Ruby answered in an amused voice, looking at Thicknose who was about to take the stage. Petrie answered quickly, as the old dinosaur was rising to the rock.

"Me also hope Warm Time happy… at least with the presents we'll give soon!" Petrie turned to look at their teacher who had already started his tale. She whispered to the flier in a quiet voice.

"How long have you thought that Warm Time will be happy if we tell tales?" Ruby asked in a neutral voice, genuinely willing to know what was behind Petrie's odd belief. Petrie turned to look at the fast runner and asked after a moment.

"Why you ask?" His voice was confused as he spoke. Ruby shrugged slightly as she answered.

"Well, I've wanted to know what makes you so eager to believe in these things… even if I myself wish to think so too." Ruby said as she looked at Thicknose speak. She didn't turn her gaze away from the old dinosaur when she heard Petrie's answer.

"Well, Petrie no sure… That makes life much easier. Littlefoot said long time ago that there be so much we not know and me think so too. Also, Petrie love celebrations!" Petrie lightened up the mood with his conclusion and chuckled slightly. Ruby simply smiled as she turned her gaze to the flier before once again returming her attention to listening. After Thicknose, there were still some who wished to share their experiences. However, eventually the volunteers ended and after a while of waiting, Grandma Longneck once again spoke as she noticed that the storytelling was over for tonight. The longneck's voice was rather tired but one part of the Late Warm Time's Day was still unfinished.

"Now, I think it's time for us to move forward. Does everyone have a gift for the Warm Time?" The longneck asked in an interested voice. It was clear that each of those present had had enough interest to get a small, simple piece of gratitude to the Warm Time. Most attendees had most likely left them at their nests as the night would be too long to carry them along. As the longneck saw a series of nods and small gossip start, she spoke in a kind voice.

"Well, let's go get them by all means. We'll meet again soon here." The massive dinosaur turned slowly around as she headed towards her nest and she was soon joined by Littlefoot. Petrie looked at the others scatter and he quickly took off so that his mother saw it. After all, there wasn't any reason for everyone to go get the shiny stone which he had found earlier on the same day.

The journey to his nest would have been quite long for a landwalker due to the unsavory cliffs and turns but for a flier, it was far from a tasking trip. Petrie flew by the steep mountainside until the extremely familiar sight of his nest came to his view. The flier landed to the cliff and took a few steps forward as he tried to remember where he had left the stone. Quickly, the sight of the beautifully shining stone came into his view and the flier was still mesmerized by the fact that he had found such a present for an occasion like this. Petrie grabbed the stone and after a moment of investigating it, he once again took off.

* * *

The second part of the Late Summer's Day's celebrations would be the concrete token of gratitude for the season that could be given in a simple way. This time, the celebration would be held on the streams before the Roaring Falls, ´middle of the central meadows of the Valley from where the river flowed towards the southern borders of the protected land. There, the willing residents of the Valley would give the gift of their choice to the river which was thought to be the central part of any season, due to times of drought, flood and freeze.

Ruby found beliefs like these extremely odd as the fast runners very seldom spoke of gratitude to invisible things. Most of the times, Ruby would agree with Cera on her thoughts on things like these in principle but then again, were things like Starday that much different? Even then, she enjoyed occasions like these tremendously. The fast runner looked at the large berries she had collected yesterday and decided that these would have to do. She would have rather eaten them herself but she wished to respect the other dinosaurs' traditions. Additionally, if there was a small chance that giving these things to the Warm Time would improve things, why wouldn't she use it?

Dozens of dinosaurs had assembled around the river and were already giving their offerings. Many different kinds of green food, stones among other things and they quickly headed towards the Roaring Falls.

"What are you thinking Ruby? Let's just throw them there so we'll get to sleep!" Cera said as she threw some large treestars into the river. This was the part she liked the least as the threehorn couldn't understand the wasting of food but, like Ruby, she partook in the tradition due to the fact that she enjoyed it. The fast runner snapped from his thoughts and answered quickly. The weariness was also creeping to her mind and she would be more than happy to head for her nest in the Secret Caverns.

"You're right, Cera. I'll do it right away." Ruby walked to the riverside and threw the berries to the water quickly. She looked as they flowed towards the Falls and their slow disappearance into the night's dark waters. Hopefully the Warm Time would be happy with her offering. One by one, her friends also gave their gift to the dying season and walked to a hill near the stream. Littlefoot spoke slowly with a yawn.

"Well, happy Late Warm Time's Day everyone." The overall mood among the seven was weary but it still carried held an atmosphere of happiness and even enchantment. the stories, the long night of happy chatter together and the thanking of the season brought great happiness and appreciation to them and they hoped that they had managed to please the Warm Time. Regardless of that, they at least knew that their own night had been successful and enjoyable.

"Yes, do have a great night everyone!" Ducky said in a cheerful voice which resembled that of Littlefoot's. The night was long so there was still time for get enough sleep. Petrie answered to Ducky's comment.

"Petrie hope so too… but Petrie also tired. Me will see you again tomorrow…" The flier waited to the others' answer before he prepared to depart. Littlefoot was the first one to admit that the celebration had taken its toll.

"´We're all tired so I guess it's time to go to sleep. It's very late after all. Well, see you again in the morning!" The longneck was the first one to turn away, heading towards his grandma who looked at him in anticipation. A last set of goodbyes was exchanged as each of the seven dinosaurs started to leave to disappear into the warm night. Chomper walked on Ruby's side, the two talking about the evening's events until they arrived at their home. Both of them had learned to love these occasions in the Valley but at the moment, they found the coming sleep even more precious.

* * *

 **Here's the second chapter to this story. I hope you found it enjoyable and any feedback is always welcome! From this point on, I will be using the names established in the Seven Hunters for unnamed characters. Separate Ways is not set in the Seven Hunters continuity but I thought things would be simpler for the reader (and the writer) if I'd use those familiar names. Thank you Rhombus for giving me the permission to use them!**

 **Rhombus: I'm happy that you found the start interesting and I can only hope that you'll find the future installments to this story as enjoyable! :) Ruby will be one of the most central characters in this fic so her storyline will get a lot of focus. Also, thank you for pointing out that embarrassing mistake.**


	3. Chase and Disaster

**Chase and Disaster**

The pale light of the Night Circle shone across the darkened landscape, it's rays also finding their way to the Secret Caverns, only highlighting Ruby's desperate struggle to try to fall to sleep. The fast runner usually fell easily to sleep after the long, happy days in the Valley but today she could only twitch around awake, unable to clear her mind and give way to her weariness after the long night of celebration. The reason for the fast runner's inability to fall asleep was clear, however. Mr. Thicknose's words rang in her ears, making her thoughts a maze of doubts and uncertainty.

 _I hope you understand the importance of your kind's wisdoms, if only for your future._

The old dinosaur's last answer dominated Ruby's thoughts as she finally rose from her lying position, knowing that she wouldn't be able to sleep before sorting out her conflicting thoughts. Ruby walked silently in order not to wake up Chomper and walked to the mouth of the Cavern, sitting down to the edge of the cliff overlooking the sleeping Great Valley. There was no reason to go to her Thinking Place at this hour: nobody would bother her anyway. Also, the way to the higher cliff could turn dangerous in the dark of the night. The fast runner turned her gaze to the surrounding Valley and fell to her thoughts.

How had her parents and the residents of the Valley seen her entrance to the haven of leaf-eaters? She had never given much thought that anyone had problems with her living in the Valley but it was true: she was the only fast runner she had seen during her time there. Of course, Ruby knew that Chomper's time there was limited but the event of the young sharptooth being forced to leave had always felt like a distant prospect. And when that day came, what would become of her? She had become Chomper's guardian and she had taken that role without thinking much of the long-term implications of that position. By that time, there was little Ruby could do to protect him from Red Claw. What would she do when that day came?

Ruby's half-closed eyes searched the nightly Valley, looking at a few swimmers walking at the distance. Behind them opened one of the openings of the Valley towards the Meadow of Jumping Waters. Every part of this place felt like home and she felt like a part of it. Even then, she wasn't a leaf-eater and her and Chomper's presence was never really accepted by large segments of the Valley. Her friends would always be there for her but even then, would this ever be truly the place she would call her home?

The fast runner's head rested on her hands when her eyes caught a surprising and terrifying sight. Three dinosaurs she had never seen before were heading from the clubtails' nest's direction, holding one large egg in their hands. They were quickly heading for to the northwest, a surprising direction that didn't seem to lead out of the Valley. Still, Ruby quickly snapped out of her half-sleeping state, realizing that it was up to her and Chomper to try to return the egg if they just could. She rose up from the cliff and headed back to the cave, whispering to Chomper in an urgent, alarmed voice. The sharptooth was a heavy sleeper and it would sometimes be even difficult to wake him up prematurely.

"Chomper! Wake up, now!" The little carnivore didn't wake up to her friend's words so the fast runner repeated louder and pushed him slightly, just enough to ensure his waking.

"Chomper!" Her voice was slightly sterner than she would have wanted but it worked as Chomper slowly opened his eyes and spoke in a sleepy voice.

"What… is it?" Chomper quickly saw the look in the fast runner's eyes and her answer woke him up immediately.

"Egg nappers, Chomper! We have to stop them!"

It was mere minutes until the two dinosaurs were heading towards the northern edge of the Valley, trying to keep up with the three egg nappers without being seen. They moved carefully among the tall grass in order to keep their position a secret and to move as silently as they could. If the three grown dinosaurs saw their chasers, the chase would be over before it began. Chomper looked worried as they tried to sneak behind the three unknown thieves. Suddenly, he whispered in a hesitating voice.

"How… how are we going to stop them? There's three egg nappers and we're just us!" The sharptooth's voice was far from confident as he tried to come up with a plan that could guarantee the return of the egg. The borders of the Valley were getting ever closer and it was becoming obvious that the thieves were going for an exit from the Valley even most of its residents didn't know of.

"We cannot just steal it back. We have to make them leave it for us, even if making them do that won't be easy. And if we cannot make them give it back, they have to be scared to do so. There's no one else who can do it but you, Chomper." Ruby whispered in a kind voice to her companion even if it's content had the potential to unnerve the young sharptooth. It wasn't like this would be the first time he did this but it didn't mean he enjoyed these occasions.

"Uhhh… I've never tried to scare grownups before. Are you sure this will work?" The time when he had scared Rhett away which in turn earned him the wrath of the whole heard had worked simply because of the reason that Rhett had never seen a sharptooth that close before and the herd saw that his horror was real. These egg nappers, however, had probably seen a lot more during their life and they wouldn't run away at the sight of him.

"Just try not to show yourself. If they don't see you, their mind makes you bigger than you really are. If we're lucky, they might forget the egg and run away in fear!" The fast runner looked at the sharptooth as she explained her plan. Chomper merely swallowed as the duo saw the egg nappers approaching an area that seemed like another large groove in the long mountainside of the Valley. The thieves didn't have the least of idea that they were being followed and to Ruby and Chomper's great surprise, they entered a small cave behind a small thicket of long trees.

"I didn't know there even was a cave there! Where does it go?" Chomper asked in surprise as the last of the three entered the cave. Ruby answered thoughtfully before she started to move towards the opening which was hidden by a group of large bushes by the mountainside.

"Neither did I but it could give us an edge!" Ruby exclaimed happily in sudden realization. Chomper looked at the cave for a moment until he realized what his friend meant. He knew how greatly talkbacks enhanced voices. With that increased impression, there was a far better chance that Ruby's plan could work.

"You're right! Even my roar could sound scary in there! Let's go!" The sharptooth quickly ran towards the tunnel, knowing that the egg nappers weren't going to slow down until they were a safe distance from the Valley and safe from its residents' wrath. Ruby followed her friend into the narrow cave, taking one look back into the lush thicket and the Valley, still surprised by the many secrets the Valley held within its walls. How many places were there still to explore that she had never heard about?

The cave itself was very narrow and dark, forcing Ruby to be careful with her each step whereas Chomper walked rather normally due to his superior eyesight. Ruby could see the outlines of the larger stones but overall, falling and alerting the thieves was a real chance. At this point, that would mean the end of their hopes to stop them and in the worst-case-scenario, could even put the two in danger. It was likely that they wouldn't be too happy with the two telling the whole Valley about the accident.

Slowly but surely, Chomper's sniffer started to send out ever more disgusted signals. The sharptooth had tried to tell himself that it was just his imagination but in the end, he had to admit that he had only once smelled something so terrifying. Was this tunnel another gateway into the Hidden Canyon? Ruby could smell it, too and after seeing her friend's disgust, spoke to Chomper in a concerned voice.

"I know you don't like this smell, Chomper, but we have to go there! Not going there would mean not going after the thieves!" Chomper merely nodded as he walked closer to the Canyon. Maybe he could use the nausea this place gave him to his advantage in his roars? He could still smell, albeit faintly due to the overwhelming reek, that the egg nappers hadn't gotten far. It seemed that they, too, had had a hard time moving through the tunnel. The light of the Night Circle started to shine through the opening of the tunnel in the distance, signaling that if Chomper wished to make his grand entrance, it would have to happen now. He looked to Ruby briefly who simply nodded to the blue sharptooth. Chomper tried to use the terrifying smell around him as additional help in motivating himself as he let out a loud roar which was multiplied by the many talkbacks in the narrow cave, turning his still-meek cry into a terrifying roar.

The resulting voice rang through the nightly Hidden Canyon, the roar of the small sharptooth being dramatically enhanced by the cave. The three egg nappers quickly turned to look behind them, looking in fear in the direction of the tunnel. One of the three stuttered in fear to the others, his eyes widened as he tried to see the mysterious chaser.

"What was that? There… there shouldn't be any sharpteeth in the Valley!" His voice was meek as the roar started to die down. One of the others started to put on a brave face as he tried to calm down the others.

"And there aren't! I don't care what kind of prank the sap-suckers have put on this time but I'm not buying it!" His brave face started to melt away as Chomper's shadow started to appear on a wall near the mouth of the tunnel, illuminated by the Night Circle's light. All of the three egg nappers felt their blood run cold as another roar emanated from the tunnel. At this point, it was getting difficult to deny the sharptooth's existence and the danger the trio suddenly found themselves in. None of the three were ready to face off this new threat and each of them resumed their run towards the gaping mouth of the Mysterious Beyond at the back of the small canyon. In the surrounding dry plains they could try to lose the attacker.

Ruby looked in deep worry as the egg stealers only quickened their pace with the egg. It was clear that they had to do far more in order to try to stop them before they had escaped beyond the duo's reach. With an alarmed voice, she spoke to Chomper.

"We must chase them but we must not be seen! Quick, we must scare them even more!" Chomper nodded quickly to his friend as the two started to chase the three thieves. The sight of the duo would do little to scare the egg nappers but with roars and other loud voices, they might make the right impression. Both of the young dinosaurs tried to walk as heavily as they could while retaining a quick pace. Chomper did his absolute best to sound older and to the fast runner's surprise, his impression was rather successful. If she didn't know any better, she could have thought herself that there was an almost-fully grown sharptooth on the hunt.

The three egg stealers quickened their speed as they heard that their chasers were on their trail. None of them had the courage to turn to look behind them as the angry snarls were creeping ever closer. The exit from the Canyon wasn't far but what would deny the chaser to abandon the hunt at the edge of the Valley? The egg-carrying dinosaur's heart pounded in panic, completely knowing that one meal wasn't worth the trio's lives. The egg only showed them down and getting rid of it would improve their chances of survival. With a rude snort, she threw the egg to her companion's hands, speaking quickly.

"Take it! I'm out of here!" The female's voice was sharp as she headed past the others. Her companion looked at their companion in bewilderment, then exchanging glances with his other companion who called to him before he went after their third pack member.

"Leave it! There's no reason to carry dead weight if it gets us killed!" The other egg napper looked at his spoil in hesitation, not willing to leave the meal they had worked so hard to get. But his companion was right. If there was a sharptooth on their trail, as it seemed, it would be pure madness to carry any more weight than they absolutely had to. With a deep sigh, the dinosaur let loose of the egg, dropping it into the soft ground and it rolled towards a small bush by the small stream flowing through the Canyon. It got stuck in the lush vegetation, stopping in a firm place near the river.

Ruby looked the egg in deep joy and relief, positively surprised by the fact that her desperate plan had worked. She looked at the three egg nappers disappear from the opening, most likely running as far into the Mysterious Beyond as their legs could carry them. Ruby walked quickly towards the egg, grabbing it quickly. Chomper's voice reached her ears soon after.

"I can't believe it actually worked! Am I really that scary?" The young sharptooth nearly laughed as he, too, was incredibly joyful at the success of their quest. Ruby answered to her friend in joyful voice, thankful that his roars had been as effective as she had hoped.

"Only to those who don't know, you Chomper. Even them, you can actually pretend very well. Thankfully, if you weren't that scary, we wouldn't be here now. Come on, let's return this and go back to sleep. There's still a lot of time to rest." The fast runner started to walk back towards the cave, followed by Chomper who was equally relieved by the turn of events. Even then, the sharptooth wished to leave the Hidden Canyon as quickly as he could as the smell was getting too overwhelming for his sniffer. The sharptooth ran past Ruby, quickly speaking to the fast runner his antics.

"I'll get to the tunnel, quick! The smell's horrible!" Ruby chuckled as he watched Chomper run towards the exit from the Canyon. Ruby could very well remember the sharptooth's reaction last time and it wasn't much better than this. She turned her gaze to the small river sparking with the rays of Night Circle, appreciating the sights around her. It was a shame that the small tunnel would have to be sealed tomorrow in order to prevent accidents like these from happening again, once again closing off this beautiful place from the rest of the Valley. The fast runner was turning her gaze back to look towards the cave when she felt her right leg hit something rough and sharp. The next few seconds were characterized by sharp pain around her body and blurred forms. Soon after, Ruby found herself lying on a pile of rocks, the hard soil making her fall even more painful. However, it was only after she felt some warm, thick liquid flowing on her fingers that her heart started to race and her mind starting to give in to panic.

Ruby quickly raised her head to look at the sight before her, seeing scraps of the ruined egg close to her hands, its contents flowing around the fast runner. Most hauntingly, the shape of the unborn hatchling peeked from among the pieces of the egg. It took a few moments before everything that had happened started to register into Ruby's mind.

 _The egg… destroyed… What… how… what can I do…_

Different questions ran through Ruby's mind as she quickly rose back to her feet, looking in horror at the results of her accident. She could hear her breathing quicken and feel her legs moving slowly backwards as the truth was slowly starting to form in her confused mind. She had done her best to save the hatchling but in the end, it was her own carelessness that had finally turned out to be the egg's fate. Tears started to form in Ruby's eyes as she looked at the scene before the horrifying implications forced her to turn her eyes away from the inconsolable sight.

Chomper hadn't seen the fall itself but he had heard the sound. He was relieved to see that his friend wasn't seriously hurt but he was also overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events. He stood still for a moment before he started to move towards Ruby. The fast runner was crying heavily as the blue sharptooth reached her. After a moment of hesitating, Chomper asked the obvious question.

"I'm… sorry, Ruby. What can we do?" His voice was silent and mournful as he looked into Ruby's eyes. Both of them were extremely confused but Ruby was the next one to speak. Her answer was intermittent and extremely fearful as she spoke.

"We must hide the egg!" No one must know what happened here today!" Ruby whispered in a sobbing voice as she looked at her companion and started to gather the cracks of the eggs from the ground and hide them into the larger bushes. Chomper joined her quickly and the two dinosaurs tried make the scene seem like nothing extraordinary had happened. Most of all, the unborn clubtail had to be kept hidden. Unfortunately for the two, neither of them saw a lone, small flier in the sky, his eyes fixed on the ghastly sight far below him. Soon, he fled in fear, unwilling to believe the terrifying deed he thought he had just witnessed.

Ruby was panting heavily as last of the pieces of the ruined egg had been hidden in the bushes of the nightly canyon. The overwhelming panic had been replaced by a sense of fear, sorrow and failure, fully knowing what the residents of the Valley would say if they saw her now. A fast runner, covered in the innards of an egg in the middle of the night. She spoke to Chomper in a weary, broken voice as she sat down to a rock for a moment.

"I have to clean myself before I can go back. We just have to hope that no one will know about this chase. How I hoped it would have ended otherwise." Ruby sighed and looked at the stars in melancholy, trying to find some comfort from them. Chomper simply looked at her in sympathy, answering her in a somewhat comforting voice.

"They won't, Ruby. And we did our best! Why would they be angry at us?" He tried to put on a brave face even if he partially knew the answer. Neither of them had wished to dwell in the implications of the long conversations during their original arrival in the Valley about three Cold Times ago. It had been a long, difficult process to let the duo in and they were warned that even small, suspicious activities could result in their banishment or even worse. Ruby knew it and she didn't have to answer as she headed towards the small stream. However, before she reached it, she heard a call that made her blood ice cold.

"Ruby! Chomper! What are you doing here at this time of the night?" The voice belonged to Petrie's mother Volant who was flying towards the two young dinosaurs. Her voice was confused and concerned but it held no real anger or antagonism. However, something in her appearance raised deep horror in the two dinosaurs as Ruby quickly submerged herself into the river to prevent the flier from seeing the egg's contents on her. After a moment, she answered to the newcomer, trying to keep her voice as close to normal as she could.

"Uhhh… we've gone to this place often because it's such an enchanting place in the night! And we… just thought it would be a good idea to come here today. Why do you ask?" Ruby tried to put on a distantly natural expression while Chomper strived for an embarrassed, toothy smile. This kind of answer wouldn't have satisfied Volant even in normal circumstances and now it was even less believable. Her voice was took a much sterner turn as she eyed the two.

"I was told a different story. The story I heard was that you two were doing something you shouldn't be doing." Volant hated to interrogate the duo like this but she wished to see if there was any truth to Dasher's accusations. She had learned to respect the two dinosaurs during their time in the Valley but still she was more willing to believe her own offspring. Ruby's apparent fear did little to ease the flier's concerns. Chomper tried to answer in a hesitating but genuine voice and he succeeded in controlling his voice better than Ruby.

"And what is that? There's nothing going on here." The sharptooth sounded somewhat anxious but his voice almost would have calmed Volant down if it weren't for the report she had been given. The flier then answered in a sharp, weary tone, eager to get this issue over with.

"Where did you hide the egg? And why did you take it in the first place?" Volant looked directly at the two young dinosaurs, willing to underline the seriousness of this conversation. Time seemed to freeze for Ruby who now understood that there was no getting around the real story. Volant hadn't been too accommodating even during the duo's initial arrival into the Valley, the flier being one of the main opponents of letting the two into the Valley. How would she react this time? With a fearful sigh, Ruby rose from the stream, the egg's liquids not completely washed away. Volant gasped heavily, not wanting to accept the sight before her eyes. She truly hoped that there was more to this incident than lied before her eyes.

Ruby walked in shame, not finding any right words to say. Not only had she endangered her own position in the Valley but Chomper's as well. No matter what happened, his safety was her responsibility until he could rejoin his parents and she had just compromised her whole charge. The fast runner felt the entire world's weight fall upon her as she pointed to the bush where she and Chomper had hidden the remains of the egg. Volant walked there without a word towards the bush, seeing what she feared she would see. She turned in rising anger towards the two dinosaurs and spoke in disbelief.

"Why? What have you done? Do you have any idea what this means?" Volant's voice seemed to shatter Ruby's last remains of composure as she tried to come up with anything that could save her and Chomper's face. However, what followed was her complete breakdown.

"It was all an accident! There were two egg stealers here and we stopped them! But… this was my fault! I fell while I was trying to return the egg and it broke! Please, just believe me!" Ruby hoped telling the truth could save the situation but to her horror, Volant's expression didn't soften in the least. In fact, it only grew more suspicious, only adding more fuel to the fire.

"I wasn't told about any egg stealers, Ruby. I was only told that you had stolen an egg, broken it and who knows why! This was exactly what we feared would happen. I really want to believe that you speak the truth but the fact is, one of the Valley's children died before their birth, possibly because of you! Do you think the clubtails would accept an apology, after all the trouble you two got through to receive their approval?" Volant's expression started to crack slightly, the conversation threatening to get the better of her. Her own voice felt alien as she listened to it, horrified by what she herself was saying. She had learned to trust the two but that didn't change the fact that both of them were partial or complete meat eaters. Even if she tried to convince herself otherwise, she couldn't deny the possibility of the fact the two had given up to their nature. She looked at the fast runner in a mixture of fear and understanding as Ruby answered in a fearful voice.

"But it's true! You've got to believe me! We didn't even know about the tunnel leading here! And even if we had known about it, we wouldn't have been able to hide that tunnel from our friends!" Ruby was stunned to hear another familiar voice entering the conversation as she was about to continue her defense.

"She speak the truth! We all thought Hidden Canyon walled off long ago! And Ruby no egg stealer! Me know it!" Petrie landed by her mother's side, seemingly agitated by the display. Volant looked at him in surprise, asking the obvious question.

"What are you doing here, Petrie?" The older flier asked, looking at Petrie in an angry look.

"Me saw you heading off after Dasher told you about me friends. They would never do something like this!" Petrie was completely resolute, willing to see that the issue would be resolved quickly. Volant sighed, not happy in the least by this turn of events. Petrie's arrival would only complicate the issue which was something that had been decided many Cold Times ago already. She would have to make sure that Petrie would also understand.

"I don't know what to believe, kids. But when the word spreads about this, I fear there are many that would no longer accept your presence here. The clubtails, the domeheads… even the threehorns would find it difficult to believe this story. I cannot hide this accident because here in the Valley each herd has to trust each other." Volant's words' hit the three other dinosaurs like a terrifying weight, each of them lacking words any to say. Petrie was the first one to open his mouth but he was waved silent by Ruby who whispered in a silent voice, tears flowing from her eyes as her gaze dropped towards the ground.

"I understand, Ms. Flier. I failed the Valley. We'll leave right away." With a great struggle, the fast runner raised her eyes to look directly at Volant and Petrie's. Her and Chomper's pledge had been mutual. If one of them breached their promise, both of them would suffer the consequences. Petrie answered immediately in clear alarm. He had never expected to hear those words from Ruby but here the fast runner stood, ready to leave the Valley that had been her home for many happy days.

"It be no your fault, Ruby! You cannot be blamed for things you didn't do!" Petrie's voice was pleading and he, too, was on the verge of tears as Chomper answered briefly. Even at his young age, he could see that there was no speaking out from this horrifying situation.

"We promised too much, Petrie. We're sorry." The blue sharptooth couldn't believe that things had escalated this far but he had been forced to accept the fact that his life in the Valley wouldn't last forever. However, he had always wanted to believe that it would happen on good terms. But he never would have thought it would end like this, being accused about things that never happened. Before anyone had the chance to continue, Volant looked at the two and spoke in a confused voice.

"So am I. Ruby, Chomper... If it were for me, I'd give you another chance because I'm willing to believe you. You've helped me so many times in the past but that's not my choice alone. I know you two will survive out there and I hope you'll be able to rejoin your families. I promise you that I won't you be seen as the enemies of the Valley even if you might not be welcome here anymore. Petrie, it's time for us to go." Volant prepared to take off, not willing to dwell in this unfortunate situation any more than she had to. The flier only prayed Petrie would follow her without too much arguing.

"We cannot do this! You've got to believe us, momma! They would never do something like this!" Petrie tried to desperately plead to his mother but it earned a mere angry look and answer from Volant.

"You heard me, Petrie. There's nothing we can do."

The younger flier's thought were a complete flux of conflicting thoughts and emotions, most of all concerning his conflicting allegiances. He simply couldn't let Ruby and Chomper leave like this but… what could he do? He knew the delicate agreement between the two and the Valley and the flier understood the severity of the duo's alleged crime. Yet, he also knew that they wouldn't have done such a heinous deed. If there was anything he could do later on, he and his friends would do their all to try to convince everyone about the duo's innocence. Anything we could do now would only make matters worse. Petrie looked at his friends in an apologizing look while he tried to give the expression that this wouldn't be the farewell. He tried to keep the situation as painless as he could as he spoke to the two before he followed his mother. His voice was little more than a whisper, its message only targeted for the two hapless dinosaurs.

"Me know you not do it. Petrie promise that this be no farewell. We find you again and make things all good again!" The flier then took off in an fearful if hopeful look, trying to believe that today's events weren't as momentous as they seemed. Maybe, one way or another, there could be a way to reverse his mother's judgement and to try to prove Ruby and Chomper's innocence and bring them back into the Valley.

After Petrie's departure, the fast runner and the sharptooth were left alone in the rapidly aging night. Even after Petrie's reassuring words, they couldn't help but feel that today had happened something irrevocable. Each of them felt empty and betrayed after their originally benevolent chase had turned to this. Ruby felt tears of sorrow and anger once again falling down her cheeks when she spoke to her companion, her eyes fixed into the endless distance before her.

"Let's go, Chomper. We don't belong here anymore."

Chomper simply nodded, tears finally forming in his eyes and as he followed the fast runner into this new journey. No more words were exchanged as the two dinosaurs headed towards the exit to the Mysterious Beyond, accompanied by only each other and their own, fear-filled thoughts.

* * *

 **This unfortunate accident will prove decisive for Ruby and Chomper's future as they find that sometimes mere suspicion can lead to unexpected outcomes, this time in a hard way. Will the gang be able to bring the two back into the Valley and what are Ruby and Chomper going to do now? I truly hope you found this chapter enjoyable! :)**

 **Korrasami88: Uhh, when did I imply so?**

 **The Rhombus: I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter! :) It's great to hear that you found my handling successful and believable. Ruby was still on the same mission as always, though: protecting Chomper from Red Claw. However, it is true that she is forced to look at the other species as an outsider. Unfortunately, trying to observe the Valley's culture might become more difficult after this chapter's events.**


	4. Starting the Search

**Starting the Search**

The long hours after his friends' departure seemed to drag on for days for Petrie. The flier was lying alongside his siblings in his nest, not even trying to fall to sleep. What had transpired was taking a heavy toll on him as he had never thought and even less hoped to be forced to bid his farewell to any of his friends. He had followed his mother to the nest simply to provide some kind of trust to her that Petrie had been able to accept her decision and in order not to escalate the conflict even further. However, that wasn't the case.

Petrie waited eagerly for dawn and to meeting his other friends. There was no choice but to head after Ruby and Chomper and to try to bring them home somehow. There was no doubt that the other four dinosaurs would agree with him in trying to put things right once again. Even if he had known Ruby and Chomper far less time than his original companions, they already felt like an inseparable addition to the five original friends. As Petrie tried to pass the time by remembering about his times together with the two, the endless snoring of his siblings was really starting to get on his nerves, most of all Dasher's who was to blame for this whole tragedy. He would have wanted to exchange some harsh words with him but Petrie knew it would accomplish nothing and only deepen the rifts inside his family. It was only when the black expanse of night started to give way for the day when Petrie slowly rose up, ready to gather his friends and to begin the task of tracking down the two.

After a short flight through the still dim Valley, Petrie landed on the longnecks' nest because it was the closest one to his own. To the flier's surprise, Littlefoot was already waking up. He was twitching sleepily but his stretch-like movements and partially open eyes confirmed that he was slowly shedding the cover of sleep. Still, he wasn't yet attentive enough to notice the approaching flier. Littlefoot turned slowly to look at Petrie when he heard the flier's voice call from nearby. Petrie spoke silently, almost whispering in order not to wake up the older longnecks.

"Littlefoot! Wake up, quickly! Petrie knows something you need to know!" Petrie's voice was even more panicked than usual and Littlefoot noticed this immediately. He woke up immediately and quickly turned to look at the flier whose expression mirrored his voice perfectly.

"What is wrong, Petrie? Why are you so scared?" The longneck rose to his feet and walked towards the flier as he spoke. After a moment of hesitating, the flier answered briefly.

"Chomper and Ruby gone! Me tell more when everyone here! Me tell the others to go to the usual spot near the Sinking Sand!" Littlefoot's heart sank as he heard his friend's answer but he didn't get the chance to ask his friend before the flier had once again taken off. Ruby and Chomper were gone? What did Petrie mean by that? He wasn't broken enough to implicate that they were truly gone bit the longneck couldn't guess what else Petrie might have meant. Littlefoot was left with a dumbstruck and fearful look as he slowly started to head towards the edge of the forest that was the most usual meeting place of the seven friends.

* * *

It took only a short while before each of the five dinosaurs had assembled in the small glade, most of them yawning heavily, most noticeably Spike. Still, Petrie's message had alerted each of them greatly and prompted them to head to the meeting immediately. The last one to arrive was Cera as she had the longest walk from her nest and she was the last one Petrie had woken up. It was she who broke the silence when she followed Petrie into the thicket.

"What are you doing, Petrie? How are they "gone"?" Cera sounded worried most of all even if she was also displeased by the early awakening. Her tone wasn't as commanding as usual as it sounded almost like a request.

"Yeah, what has happened?" This time the voice belonged to Littlefoot who seemed even more distressed than Cera. He looked directly at Petrie, unintentionally making the flier even more fearful. Petrie tried to gather his thoughts but the words had a hard time forming in his conflicted mind.

"They… I tried to stop Momma… how can Petrie tell this…" Not only was Petrie scared of the whole situation but he tried to tell the news in a way that wouldn't upset his friends even more than they had to. His stuttering was interrupted by Ducky who tried to relieve the flier's nerves.

"You may tell us, Petrie, you can. Where have Ruby and Chomper gone?" Ducky shared her friends' sentiments and after glancing at the swimmer for a moment, Petrie calmed down a little and with great difficulty, he started to speak in a quiet but clear voice.

"Ruby break an egg after which momma drive them away. Petrie sure they not do it but she no listen! Ruby and Chomper were driven from the Valley…" The initial shock was easily readable from the others' faces as they struggled to understand Petrie's words. Their two friends exiled from the Valley? Littlefoot was the first to answer, his voice filled with disbelief and fear.

"But… they have proven themselves to all of us. We all know Ruby's no egg stealer. How could your mother do this after all this time?" Littlefoot had never feared anything like this could actually happen. He had wanted to believe the other herds had shed their distrust of the two over the past Cold Times and he was extremely upset after being proven wrong. Even with Petrie's alarmed awakening, the longneck didn't have the least of ideas what to except. To think that there still existed such a gap between the two and the rest of the Valley brought great waves of sadness and unusual anger to his mind.

"She say some herds not believe their story and demand their departure. Momma said she had no choice but to do what she do. Petrie try to tell otherwise but it no use." Petrie spoke in an extremely nervous tone, keeping small pauses while trying to sort out his thoughts. Cera was about to give her disagreeing response but immediately stopped when she realized that Petrie was most likely right about her father. She didn't want to think about it but her father had never trusted the two too much and this kind of misunderstanding might actually prompt him to act irrationally. This realization made her more angry than anything else.

"But… what were they doing with the egg? They couldn't have taken it, no no no." Ducky stated matter-of-factly. Each of the five knew that she spoke the truth and turned to look oddly at the flier. Petrie returned her glance and soon realized that it would be best if he told the whole story. He explained everything what he had heard about the egg-stealers, the accident and about the last conversation with the two hapless dinosaurs. The others listened with differing expressions, not willing to believe their own ears. This seemed like a bad joke or something like from a bad sleep story. A brief moment of silence followed after Petrie had concluded his story, the pause first broken by Ducky's silent bemoan.

"Poor, poor Ruby…" She looked at the ground, most of all disappointed by Volant's actions and sympathetic and apologetic towards Ruby for her accident. Ducky felt extremely strongly for the fast runner for this kind of treatment. She wasn't even starting to contemplate all of the practical implications of this accident when Cera's extremely agitated voice cut her thoughts.

"How COULD she do this? They've always lived like us and we've helped her in any ways we could! This just isn't fair! We should just go to her and teach her a lesson or two… Those, stupid, arrogant, wingbrains…" Cera fumed until her insults finally went too far to Petrie's liking. The flier confronted her quickly in an angry voice.

"Stop that! Momma make a mistake but she no bad! Stop saying those bad things about her!" Cera realized immediately that Petrie would find her words insulting and stopped her rant. Still, she felt that her words were justified and she wouldn't apologize for her outburst. She simply snorted Petrie away and tried to calm herself down to her best ability which was far from easy. Littlefoot frowned to her antics but he couldn't say that her outburst was unjustified unlike on many other times.

"Things like this shouldn't happen, Petrie. We all knew the things Ruby and Chomper promised but this is just too much. They would never do something like this. Was there really nothing you could do?" Littlefoot found it hard to believe that the situation had been as brief and decisive as Petrie had told. The brown longneck knew he wouldn't have given up trying to save the two. Petrie simply shook his head and answered in a silent, regretting voice.

"No. Momma said there was nothing we could do. Me tried to defend them but she say there nothing she could do. And there be nothing Petrie could do to change Momma's mind." Petrie looked into the longneck's eyes mournfully as he spoke. Littlefoot didn't look quite convinced but he had to believe Petrie's words. He swallowed audibly before he answered again.

"I think we all agree that we can't just let them go. Come on, we should go speak some sense into Petrie's mom before it's too late." Littlefoot had already taken a few steps before Cera walked before him to block his path.

"Did you already forget what Petrie said? She won't believe whatever we say and even if she did, what can she do? They've already left and even a flier won't find them right away!" Cera's voice still boiled with anger but Littlefoot knew it wasn't aimed at him. Also, he couldn't question Cera's logic. Volant wouldn't go against the Valley's decisions voluntarily.

"What else can we do? It's not like we can go after them ourselves!" Littlefoot spoke before thinking too much. This answer earned a new rebuke from Cera whose words was very resolute.

"Why wouldn't we? It's far from the worst reason why we've gone to the Mysterious Beyond or do you still think helping the Yellowbellies was smarter?" Cera tried to lighten the mood somewhat while provoking her friend somewhat. To her slight amusement, it seemed to work.

"But we don't even know where they went! They could be going anywhere right now!" Littlefoot quickly accepted Cera's line of thinking but that didn't change the fact that there were many things they didn't know at this point. Cera seemed to hesitate in her answer until they heard Ducky's voice. It was pondering and careful as the swimmer tried to put herself in the duo's position.

"They could be looking for their parents to ask them what to do. We don't know where Chomper's parents are but we do remember where we found Ruby's family…" Ducky reasoned as she tried to come up with some logical explanation for their friends' destination. It was also possible that they were still near the Valley or going somewhere else entirely but she tried to think where she would go. The swimmer was happy to earn an enthusiastic answer from Littlefoot.

"Hanging Rock! That's right! Her parents are likely their best bet for them at this point! It isn't even too far from here. We could catch them soon enough if we hurry." The hidden shelter of the fast runners was located in the middle of a maze of winding, narrow paths in a mountain range near the Valley and it was nearly impossible to find unless one knew the way there. Luckily, Cera and Ducky had been with the two when they had last visited there.

"But… the way from Hidden Canyon one of the fastest ways there! How we catch them when they left before the Bright Circle rose to the sky?" Petrie asked as he thought about the many possible ways to the Rock. Only a few of the openings from the Valley were faster than the one from the Hidden Canyon and in case they were already approaching the Rock, there was a chance they would lose the duo's trail for good if they didn't hurry. The others pondered Petrie's point but the flier was right. It took a long time until Littlefoot came up with an idea that even he hated himself. The longneck gulped as he prepared to voice his proposal.

"Actually… there is a small way that I think leads there quite fast. Back when I spotted Ali's herd for the very first time, I found a small opening which led to a very narrow cliff that overlooked the trails leading towards the Hanging Rock. Even if it will be tough, I think there's a good chance we could get down the cliff side that leads very quickly to the Rock. That, together with the many streams outside the Hidden Canyon slowing Ruby and Chomper down might just buy us enough time to catch them!" The longneck tried to put on a hopeful smile which turned into a mix or forced positivity and evident hesitation.

"Uhh, where was that again? I can't remember where we were playing that day." Ducky remembered the day of their friend's first arrival but she couldn't remember where they were passing their time earlier on that day. Thankfully, it had stayed tightly in Littlefoot's mind ever since for obvious reasons.

"It was that small field not far from Ruby's thinking place, just next to the hills near the mountains. There are many small cliffs that lead overlook the Beyond… I almost dropped from the one I told about." Littlefoot smiled warmly to his memories, even that one scary moment turned happy in his mind by the later events of that mostly happy day. It took a moment when the others tried to remember the location and it was Cera who was the first to answer.

"Oh, you're right! It's where I got us some extra leaves from the tree with my horn! That place is not even far from here!" Cera's mood seemed to lighten greatly as she recalled that distant day's events. Littlefoot answered to her in an equally nostalgic voice.

"We just have to make sure that the grown-ups don't see us. I don't really want to get another talk about Ruby and Chomper from them. I just hope the way won't be too difficult for us." Littlefoot's voice turned back into an almost unnaturally bitter tone for him as his thoughts shifted back into the matter at hand. He frowned as he called to the others.

"Let's go. The sooner we get this thing done, the sooner Ruby and Chomper will be back."

* * *

The walk to the familiar meadow was short but it took some time to find the right cliff from the many similar ones. The five dinosaurs looked if descent from the other cliffs was possible but those ways down into the Mysterious Beyond seemed far too dangerous. It took four tries until Littlefoot was fairly confident that he was standing on the same cliff as on that nostalgic day. The same desert path which Ali's herd had used opened below him, surrounded by many mountains that dotted the landscape around the Valley. Behind the ranges around the desert lied the Hanging Rock which was hidden from view by the many, sharp needle-like peaks of the Mysterious Beyond. Even with the promising view, he was shocked to see that even this descent would be extremely dangerous. Spike was the first one to follow Littlefoot and when he saw the fall, he whimpered in fear and begun to back quickly. Littlefoot took a concerned look as he begun to eye the others' reactions.

"That far too steep. You can not climb that!" Petrie said as he flew over the ledge and looked downward in horror. The wall was almost vertical with a few cracks here and there. It seemed to get a bit easier near the ground but no one would be able to get down there alive. The longneck frowned as he saw similar reactions from the others. His voice was pleading as he tried to address their concerns.

"It's far worse than I remembered. But we have to go this way! Otherwise we'll never catch Ruby and Chomper in time!" He couldn't hide his own fear but he knew that he was speaking the truth. If they didn't use this way, their friends could get out of their reach. Cera's expression was equally fearful and she would have liked nothing better than to start an argument with the longneck. Even looking down to the desert made her feel sick in her head but she couldn't deny his point. Each moment they hesitated increased the chances they'd never see their friends again. Her internal conflict was interrupted by Ducky's hesitating comment.

"But we won't catch them if we fall either. I don't think there's a chance we'll make it, nope nope." The swimmer exchanged worried glances with Spike which prompted Littlefoot to rethink their chances of making it down to the ground. He had to agree with his friends that they would need some help with the descent but there was no getting around the main reason they were there. Littlefoot looked around, trying to get some kind of idea. Soon, the young longneck spoke in an excited voice.

"We should get some vines to support us, like back when we followed Pterano and the others. This time we only use them to prevent us from falling down! There should be something them nearby…" Littlefoot run back to the Valley, with his friends following the longneck quickly. There were a lot of vines everywhere in the Valley but only few of them would be strong enough to support the larger members of the five friends. After a few minutes of searching, Ducky's call summoned the others to look at what the spiketail and the swimmer had found. The vine was thick and probably long enough to reach until at least halfway of the descent and it seemed strong enough. Its actual reliability was still unclear but everyone agreed it was worth the try to use it in the descent. The only issue left was to decide where they should tie it so that it wouldn't break prematurely. The narrow cliff was far from an ideal place to search for one but after a moment of searching, Littlefoot called to the others.

"I guess this stone is as good as it gets. Let's try to tie the vine around it as well as we can!" Littlefoot and Cera started to circle the thick vine around the stone, trying to make sure it wouldn't detach from the stone while they were still trying to reach the ground. Cera looked at the vine and in an unusually unsure voice, she spoke to her friend.

"I really hope this will last long enough. I would never do this if we didn't have to." The two exchanged nervous glances as Littlefoot took the vine to his mouth and threw it down the cliff. He then answered to Cera in an apologetic and fearful tone.

"Neither would I, Cera, but we have to make this. If we're lucky, we'll be back before the evening." The longneck tried to calm himself as he saw that the vine reaching only a bit over halfway of the drop. Luckily, the slope seemed to smooth somewhat near the vine's end. With luck, they might be able to reach it safely.

"Petrie will help when you need help if Petrie can." The flier said as he looked at the vine to check that it was in as good place as it could be. His words were mainly directed towards himself as there was very little the flier could do in case their worst fears came to pass. When he had some kind of idea on how to do this, Littlefoot turned to the others and said in a quiet voice.

"I'll go first. Only one of us can go at once so wait until I'm down. And Spike, try not to eat the vine when it's your turn." The longneck smiled as Spike moaned in clear disappointment. The others looked at their friend in concern as Littlefoot grabbed the vine with both of his forelegs. The longneck first lowered his hind legs over the edge. He tried to search for some kind of footholds in the crags and to his surprise, he found a few that would help in starting the journey down. Littlefoot knew better than to look down but even the sight of the endless plains to his left raised cold sweat to his face. The longneck could feel the gazes of his friends boring into him as he inched downward slowly but surely. Littlefoot closed his eyes and tried to put all of his concentration to seeking comfort from the wall of stone and to move down as quickly as he could.

The brown longneck felt the breath of wind trying to make his task even more difficult as the rough stones continuously scratched his legs. He no longer had any idea how long the way down still was but he still knew that he was moving steadily downwards. After a time that seemed to go on for hours, he felt to his horror the vine ending. Littlefoot opened his eyes and looked below him for the first time since leaving the cliff. The ground was still far away but there were some widening cracks in the rocks that just might be able to help him to the firmer, more moderate ground.

Littlefoot continued to move slowly but soon, he felt the cracks getting even bigger, allowing him to breathe a bit more relaxed. The fall was getting less steep and the longneck called to Petrie who was flying near him. He panted heavily as he spoke. He wasn't safe yet but he knew he could get down from where he was standing.

"Tell Cera… that she can come now. It's… it's okay." Petrie looked at his friend in concern, fearful for the others' descent. Littlefoot had been lucky but how would it go with the others?

"It not look like okay. You almost drop!" Petrie said but Littlefoot's expression told him the longneck wasn't willing to argue at this point. The flier returned to the narrow cliffs where the others were waiting in tangible concern and fear about their own turns.

"Cera can go now. Littlefoot say it be okay." Petrie's hesitation was evident but Cera tried to put on a brave face as she headed towards the edge. The wind was already howling in her ears as she closed her eyes and grabbed the vine. The threehorn felt her heart sink as she felt the ground vanish from beneath her. Still, if Littlefoot had managed this, so would she. Even if she had learned to question her kind's inherent superiority in all things, her self-confidence was still intact. Although, that didn't change the fact that she had always hated heights and an ordeal like this felt like an extra punishment for her.

The threehorn had reached almost halfway when a violent gust of wind blew by the mountainside. To her great horror, Cera felt that she lost her footing as the barrage of air hit her against the wall, disrupting her balance and compromising her hold on the vine. The threehorn would have wanted to scream as the vine took off from the mountainside, causing her to hang in the air for a moment, with only a huge emptiness opening below her. Had the vine snapped at that moment, Cera knew she would have had no chance of surviving the fall. After a few moments, she once again felt the mountainside to her side to her great relief. Still, the threehorn had to find her footing again. She was overjoyed to hear Petrie's voice near her.

"Cera, try to hold on a bit longer! The cracks here… and here!" Petrie took Cera's hind legs and showed where her previous footings had been. Cera stayed still for a moment, overwhelmed by the unfolded situation. Had there been one more unfortunate coincidence, she would be gone by now. The situation wasn't exactly new for the threehorn but it was never a pleasant or easy thought. With trembling feet, Cera continued her descent and only a few, less powerful gusts hampered her descent. In a few minutes, she reached the vine's end and, like Littlefoot, managed to reach the ground safely. Cera would have wanted to collapse to the ground in relief but retained her footing because she didn't wish to show the depth of her fear to the others.

Spike and Ducky eventual turns were less eventful even if the vine creaked menacingly under the spiketail's weight. Each of the four waited until they reached the safe, even ground beneath the menacing cliff. Ducky was the last one to join her friends and even if the swimmer had an easier time than her friends, it wasn't easy on her either. Her voice was exhausted as she called to her friends.

"I wouldn't want to do that again. The wind almost took me and the climb was very high, it was. I just hope that we find Ruby and Chomper soon." Ducky sat down on a rock to rest for a moment from the ordeal. Littlefoot smiled to her, relieved by the fact that his idea had worked yet again and that his friends were safe. He answered after a moment in a cheerful voice.

"I think we will. The Hanging Rock should be right behind those mountains. Come on, let's get our friends back home." The longneck was preparing to leave until a thought crossed his mind. He turned to look behind him and spoke to Petrie briefly.

"Oh, Petrie, could you go cut the vine from the rock? We don't want that someone from here uses it to get to the Valley." Petrie answered quickly as he started to fly back to the cliff. The flier also felt much easier to see that his friends were safe once again.

"Me be back soon! Wait for Petrie!" The brown flier reached the cliff quickly, looking at the rock to decide how the vine would be easiest to cut. As he was trying to cut the plant, Petrie saw to his great horror a big brittle in a part of the vine that was intact before. It was almost half of the vine's thickness, meaning that it wouldn't have been able to support the next one who would have used it. The thought filled Petrie's thoughts with fear as he examined the plant. There was no way he could cut it from the intact parts but the brittle was already weak enough. He took the weakened part in his beak and cut it in half without difficulties. The flier returned to the ground as soon as the vine's other end had hit the ground far below.

"The vine be cut, Littlefoot. No one use it anymore!" There was no reason to frighten the others even more by telling of the extra danger they had put themselves in. The flier had a disturbing inkling that things wouldn't go as smoothly as the five dinosaurs hoped. As if to underline his fears, just as Littlefoot was about to answer, a loud, horrifying roar rang from the mountains bordering the desert. A roar of a hungry sharptooth. Each of the five took a few steps back by instinct, fear being evident from their glazed faces. As soon as the roar died down, Littlefoot gulped audibly and spoke in a silent, terrified voice.

"Hopefully whatever made that voice leaves before we get in there. And I… I hope Ruby and Chomper haven't run into it yet." The longneck's words echoed the others' sentiments and slowly the five dinosaurs started to move towards the mountains and to the place they could only hope their poor friends were also headed.

* * *

 **Not surprisingly, the Gang has decided to take matters into their own hands. Will they find their friends and are they right about Ruby and Chomper's whereabouts? Also, thank you for your reviews ! :)**

 **xPrimalHunterx: Well, that could come to mind for some but we'll see the duo's reactions to the events of the last chapter soon.**

 **the Rhombus: I agree that the situation could have been far worse. Mr. Threehorn would have been far more aggressive in Volant's position and even if the current circumstances aren't exactly great, Ruby and Chomper are still unharmed. I also hope you found the Gang's reaction logical. :)**


	5. A Comforting Discussion

**A Comforting Discussion**

The wide, empty plains around the Great Valley loomed pitch-black before two distressed friends. Ruby and Chomper had walked for in complete silence a long time since their departure from the Valley, their emotions too conflicted to start a conversation. They had had no real destination other than to leave the Valley and the terrifying night behind them. Finally, as the horizon started to grow slightly lighter, Ruby finally broke the oppressive silence, speaking in a broken, sadness-filled voice.

"I'm so sorry, Chomper. It's all my fault, my fault it is. If I hadn't been that careless…" Ruby was going to continue but Chomper cut her quickly, too saddened to hear more self-pity from the dinosaur he trusted most. The young sharptooth looked at his caretaker in an empathetic and supporting look. There was not a trace of accusing or disappointment, only a caring and appreciating smile behind the mask of sadness.

"It's not your fault, Ruby. We tried to do the best thing we could." Chomper sounded surprisingly calm and it was clear that he had spent many nights wondering about his eventual departure from the Valley. It hurt even more than he had expected but he was thankful he didn't have to leave it alone. At least for now, his closest friend would still be with him.

"But it is! Without me and my stupid chase and my fall, everything would be fine! We would be sleeping in the Secret Caverns, ready to spend another day with our friends! Now, we are here, with no place to go!" Ruby sat down to the ground, shaking her head between her hands. She begun to calm down somewhat but the endless self-blaming hadn't left her mind.

"I know, Ruby… Why can't we just be there right now… It's all Dasher's fault! Why did he have to tell his mom…" Chomper couldn't deny that without their trek, things would have been much better. Even with his relative acceptance of the events, he couldn't accept the lingering distrust Dasher had shown towards him and his friend. The young sharptooth had never been one to hold a grudge but he couldn't help but feel angry at the flier's deed. Ruby could easily share Chomper's sentiment, feeling pure betrayal in tonight's events.

"For some time, I felt like we actually belonged in the Valley and that we were part of it. But if we were part of it, we would have been trusted. Petrie's mom showed I was wrong." The fast runner wasn't as angry as Chomper but she felt far more lost than her friend did. Not only had her hopes been proved wrong but she had already failed in her charge to keep Chomper in the Valley to protect him from Red Claw.

"My daddy and mommy were right when they said that I wouldn't be able to live in the Valley for long. They never thought I would get there anyway and if I did, I would never be accepted by most herds. They let me go only because they fear Redclaw more than they dislike the leafeaters." Chomper looked at the star-filled sky as he tried to calm down from the emotional weight of the night. He hadn't met his parents in ages and he hoped that day wouldn't come anytime soon. Even if he loved them, he didn't want to part with Ruby and the rest of his friends just yet. He knew that they wouldn't just leave them after hearing about the duo's fate.

"It seems like you've thought about this a lot, Chomper, like that it seems. I should have seen it more clearly that you weren't feeling like home." Unusually for the fast runner, Ruby spoke without giving it too much thought. Chomper turned to look at her in surprise, speaking in a confused voice.

"But I did! I did enjoy my time in the Valley as much as anyone else but mommy and daddy told me that I couldn't stay there. I… I am a sharptooth after all. We don't belong there." Chomper spoke melancholically, finally bringing the long-hidden thoughts of his years in the Valley. No matter what he did and what dreamt of, he was a sharptooth. Chomper looked into the starry sky, hoping that one day he would find the path he hoped for. Ruby looked at the blue sharptooth, surprised to hear such thoughtful words from the innocent sharptooth.

"I can believe that, Chomper. My parents never gave me any advice other than to keep you in the Valley until Red Claw is gone. But... I cannot look after you anymore, Chomper. If he comes after us, there's nothing I can do to keep you safe." Ruby finally voice his most pressing fear, being forced to separate from her dear friend this early. Tears started to once again flow to the ground as Ruby started to think about the implications of their banishment. Chomper looked at the fast runner in a fearful look, answering quickly to her remarks.

"I won't do that because of that flier! There must be some way to make things good again. Whatever happens, Littlefoot and the others will come for us, Ruby! Petrie said so." Chomper let momentarily his frustrations aloud as his thoughts drifted once again to Dasher. He wanted nothing less than to be forced to part from his closest friend because of a false accusation. Ruby looked mournfully at the Night Circle as she waited a moment before answering.

"Of course they will but there's nothing they can do to get us back in. Even though I'm not sure if I even wanted to go back there after this. How I wish they were here right not but I'm afraid they won't be able to do anything to help us. And they could make things only worse for themselves." Ruby didn't even wish to voice her conflicted thoughts aloud. On the other hand, she wanted to continue her life with her friends but she knew that reuniting with them would make the eventual parting only harder for everyone. None of them would want to say the final goodbye and would the others return to the Valley without them?

"You cannot think about it like that, Ruby. We both want to see them again and we'll come up with something. These three Cold Times mean too much to me to leave them like this." Chomper's voice cracked as he realized just how much his recent life mattered to him. He had lived the life of a sharptooth with his parents and as much as he longed those days too, his time in the Valley had been the happiest time of his life. He wasn't willing to turn his back to it just yet. Ruby felt a similar rush of nostalgia flow through her when she heard Chomper's words. These Cold Times had left their mark on the fast runner too.

"I know, Chomper, I know. It wouldn't be fair to just leave like this, not even trying to make them understand. Not after the welcome I got when we first arrived in the Valley. Thank you, Chomper, for making me to join our friends in the first place." Ruby remembered the aftermath of the bitter debate when Chomper first reunited with his friends. Ruby had never had any acquaintances outside her own kind and very few friends overall during her youth. The fast runner had led a largely solitary life, fitting for her kind. She had originally planned to stay as an outsider in the Valley, observing their life while looking after Chomper. She would be eternally grateful to Chomper for making her abandon those original plans.

"You couldn't have been alone all those days, Ruby. You deserved better than to be left alone. I knew my friends enough to know that they'd take us both in. And you got me into the Valley: of course I wanted the best to you, too. You're my friend!" Chomper looked at the fast runner in a small but sad smile as he heard Ruby's acknowledgments from those faraway days. It comforted him somewhat to hear that Ruby was slowly calming down.

"And even after our first meeting, I often was overly serious and had a really hard time to fit along with them, hard time I had. I guess we both learned a lot that our kinds wouldn't usually learn. And something most residents of the Valley still have to learn." Ruby added as the strong sense of anger once again flowed through her. As she thought about the behavior of most domeheads and threehorns, it sometimes seemed like she and Chomper were more like the other leafeaters than they were. The thought was confusing and she wasn't sure what to think about it.

"Yeah… I was far more sharptooth-like before I got to the Valley. I had to bury my urges and feelings to live there. There's only one thing I'm really scared of right now." Chomper kept a pause in order to gather his thoughts to voice his concerns. ruby turned to look at the blue sharptooth and asked the obvious question.

"And what is that? I wouldn't blame you if there were more than one reason to be afraid." Ruby said absentmindedly as she waited for the sharptooth's answer. Had she been less thoughtful, she would have guessed where Chomper was going with his words.

"What now? If Littlefoot doesn't get us back in, will we go back to being what we were? What do I have to do to be able to live my life? I have killed other dinosaurs before but now… I don't know if I could anymore." Chomper felt a flicker of fear in his stomach as he asked himself this question. Would he be _able_ to return to his old life? Ruby turned to look back at the night sky, sympathizing with Chomper's thoughts. She had known almost from the beginning that there was more to Chomper's past than he would want to talk about so Chomper's words didn't bother her too much.

"I'm sure you can, Chomper. I don't want to say it but I've heard that sharpteeth get unpredictable when they're hungry and won't let themselves stay hungry for long. Make sure that won't happen to you. I know that I'll keep in mind the lessons I learned in the Valley. At least I can try to fit my time in the Valley together with my future: I can at least keep most of it with me." Ruby said in an empathetic voice. Even if the fast runners weren't known for their habits to live with other kinds, it was usually unheard for a sharptooth. No matter what, her entry to her new life would be much easier than for Chomper. His caretaker's words hit Chomper especially hard and his breathing increased tremendously. He quickly moved closer to Ruby and started to speak in a panicked, pleading tone to the confused fast runner.

"I cannot do this, Ruby! I cannot go back to killing and hunting alone! I… I just can't! It's not what I want!" Chomper started to cry as he saw the horrific images of his presumed future flowed before his eyes. His bloody past and even worse future seemed to mix into a continuous line of fear for Chomper who could only see his friends in his future hunts. Ruby looked at him in sympathy, immediately regretting her blunt words in this difficult moment.

"I'm sorry, Chomper! I didn't think about what I just said because if I had, I would have never said it! Yes, you have to hunt but you could do it before, too. You will need to accept it but you will still be you! It doesn't have to happen too fast so you will have time to decide what you will keep with you and what not. I know you can do it." Ruby placed her hand on the sharptooth's shoulder and smiled mournfully. Chomper was still her responsibility until they could find his parents.

"But… where should we go now? We have to find our friends before it's too late!" Chomper spoke in deep fear, clinging to the only hope that lingered to avoid the dreaded future. Ruby sighed as she tried to think about a logical answer to her companion's question. It was clear that they should go somewhere where their friends would find them without difficulty. The Valley's surroundings wouldn't do because it was likely that their parents wouldn't them to follow the two banished dinosaurs. There was only one place that the fast runner could come up with, one that that lingered in her mind since their flight from the Hidden Canyon.

"Hmm… the way I see it, they'll try to think about where we will likely go. And where we'll likely go is to our parents! I'm sure they'll head for Hanging Rock! Also, if everything goes wrong, maybe my parents know where… your mommy and daddy are." Ruby added in an apologizing voice, willing to make the sharptooth accept that there was a chance that this would be the duo's last journey together. Chomper looked at the fast runner in fear, forcing him to nod as he continued to fight the lingering panic.

"But I don't want to go with them! Not yet… I wanna stay with you guys!" Chomper said as tried to prove to himself that there was nothing he could do. Ruby looked at the sharptooth for a moment, answering in a stern, almost rude voice, letting her exhaustion finally come out. True, Chomper was far younger than she was and less capable to accept these things but still, she didn't want to listen to the objections at this point. She didn't wish Chomper to make things even worse than they already were.

"Chomper, if I could make things like they were I would! But I can't and that is why we have to do the best we can and complaining about such things isn't the way to do that! Try to understand that I'll do the best I can but there are some things we cannot change! Do you understand?" Ruby softened her voice nearing the end to show that she was still willing to listen to her friend's concerns but she wanted Chomper also accept the situation. The sharptooth turned his eyes to the ground, knowing that Ruby was right. He sniffed once before he answered in a silent, regretting voice.

"I do. Hopefully Littlefoot comes up with something better than this. I guess we'll see at Hanging Rock." Chomper tried to put on a more hopeful face as he looked Ruby. The fast runner took a deep sigh as she tried to gather herself together. Her leadership would be vital to get Chomper to the Hanging Rock.

"Hidden Canyon is a good way to get there but we have to cross a few rivers somehow and to find a safe way through the mountains. But we should get there before the Bright Circle reaches its peak in the sky if we hurry." Ruby looked at the slowly lightening horizon and the mountains that rose in the far distances. She didn't wait the journey eagerly but there was no choice.

"How are we going to cross the rivers? I can't swim all that well, as you know." Chomper said in a resigned voice. He had to follow Ruby one more time as a sign of respect for his caretaker. Ruby finally rose from her sitting position and tried to chuckle as she answered. It wasn't convincing but it was better than the endless gloomy whispers.

"I cannot know everything now, silly! We'll find a way when we reach them! Come on, if we're lucky, we'll get to meet my parents and our friends soon enough!" Ruby was the first to walk off, going with a rather quick pace to force Chomper to follow her without further complaints. It had the desired effect as Chomper started to follow her quickly, even if his fears were still apparent in his nervous walking. The sharptooth took one last look to the Valley's direction, wondering whether he'd see it ever again.

* * *

The Bright Circle illuminated the hapless expanse of the dry plains surrounding the Great Valley's borders. The wind was rising steadily which made the duo's trek somewhat more comfortable. For an occasional traveler, each of the surrounding mountain ranges would have seemed like monotonous, menacing obstacles that held nothing of interest, only existing to hinder their lonely journeys. For Ruby, however, one of them held a special meaning, one that loomed far in the distance, cloaked by a slight curtain of sandy air. Unlike the other ranges, it had small spots of green surrounding it which made it a popular stop for farwalkers. However, none of them knew what lied in the range's heart, surrounded by many blocs of rock. The fast runner looked eagerly as that range drew steadily but slowly closer, both looking forward to meeting her parents and friends but fearing how those meeting would end.

The fast runner and the sharptooth shared long if forced chatters about their surroundings and the days before they reached the Valley, those being the only subjects that wouldn't stir major new emotions in the two. They looked with weary eyes as the first of the rivers started to appear in the horizon, its azure waters glimmering in the ever-brown and orange desert. It wasn't too long before the two young dinosaurs reached it and not long after, realized that they couldn't just ford it anywhere. After a short search, they found something that for the first time since the Celebration gave them some relief. A small rapid which was narrower than the main part of the river lied near them and it was dotted with small rocks that were just large enough for their legs. Chomper was the first one to try the crossing, looking warily at the rapid. He could see that it wasn't too violent but it would be dangerous to fall from the rocks as the waters were dotted with rocks. The young sharptooth swallowed and fixed his gaze steadily on the next rocks before him, concentrating to reach the next steady spot. With steady, slow jumps, the sharptooth managed to cross the river even if a few and slicky stones almost felled him. Still, Chomper kept his eyes on the river and slowly reached the opposing shore safely.

"Come on, Ruby! It's not that difficult!" A childish pride at his deed was apparent in Chomper's voice as he called on the fast runner to follow him.

"I'll be there before you know it, Chomper! Just wait and see…" The fast runner said as she jumped on the first rock. Ruby's larger legs had a harder time finding a safe place but they also made her jumps easier. However, one of the rocks she jumped on was even more slippery than the others, completely getting her by surprise. The fast runner's legs stuck out in opposite directions as she let out a fearful, quick squeak. However, Ruby soon realized that another, luckily not sharp, rock prevented her from flowing further downstream, saving the situation which could have been dangerous if her luck had been worse. The fast runner was still in shock when she suddenly heard restrained laughter from the shore.

"I'm sorry, Ruby, but you looked so funny when you fell there! Your face, your legs…" Chomper continued to chuckle as Ruby rose to the rocks again. When she had calmed down, she joined her friend's laughter as she realized how she must've looked. The little incident improved their moods somewhat as she continued her fording. It wasn't long before they both were on the other side of the wide stream, ready to continue their journey. The Bright Circle was already high on the sky, slowly approaching its zenith. That moment was approaching swiftly.

* * *

The looming mountains drew slowly closer, almost agonizingly so, as the two dinosaurs started to grow hungrier and more tired under the heat of the desert. It would still be over two hours before they could hope to reach their destination but they would have to wait until the mountains' surroundings before they could find something to eat. As their chatter slowly grew less frequent as they grew more tired, the two walked past a gaping gorge in the ground, most likely formed by one of the many earthshakes in the area, a large spiketail skeleton who eyes were fixed pleadingly on the horizon which ironically housed its probable destination, the Great Valley, and the second river, much narrower than the first one. It was rather easy to cross even though its depth was much larger than on many other rivers. Ruby was forced to carry Chomper on her back to get him across the body of water, like Littlefoot had done during the two dinosaurs' search for Saro. The fast runner panted heavily as she reached the other shore, slowly getting exhausted by their journey. To her chagrin, there was still no food here and she was starving. Luckily, her mind quickly registered another possible source of food in addition to plants that had become her main diet as of late.

"Chomper, can your sniffer smell any scaly swimmers in the river?" She asked tiredly as she looked at her companion. Chomper returned her gaze in surprise, overlooking that thing due to his overburdened mind. The young sharptooth had resigned to the idea of hunting a few ground fuzzies near the mountains. However, he ran eagerly to the shore and put his snout under the water. The scaly swimmers weren't his kinds main source of food but , in the end, they were made of meat too. Soon, Chomper raised his head and spoke to his companion in an silent but happy voice.

"There are lots of them! We should be able to catch a few without much waiting! We just have to wait for them to come towards us…" Chomper had already waded waist-deep into the water, staying still in order not to scare the scaly swimmers away. With careful, slow movements, Ruby joined him and also put her own face under the water. The fast runner could see the scaled swimmers swimming here and there, oblivious to the danger preying around them. It wasn't long until they completely forgot the newcomers and approached them once again without fear. When they got close enough, the two immediately closed their hands around them, impaling their prey with their sharp claws and ending their struggles before they truly began. Neither of the two were strangers to eating scaled swimmers but Ruby hadn't feasted on them in a long time. Her skill was left but the same thing couldn't be said about her tastes.

During her time in the Valley she had strived to eat green food and the occasional snapping shells didn't change the whole picture too much. The leaves and the berries' had become her main source of food and she hadn't eaten meat in a very long time. Now, the taste of blood and flesh in her mouth felt awkward, even disgusting after all those Cold Times of leaf eating. The plants' taste was very mild in comparison to meat and scaly swimmers were no exception. In her youth Ruby had loved them but now the whole sensation of warm blood flowing through her mouth and crushing viscera between her jaws almost made her throw up immediately. However, her hunger made the fast runner to overlook her misgivings and with a very forced gulp, she swallowed the scaly swimmer. Ruby looked in a mix of envy and concern as she looked Chomper devour two scaly swimmers in a matter of seconds. The fast runner grabbed another one before and ate it quickly before turning to return to the shore. It was clear that she, too, had some getting used to her natural diet.

"Are you already done, Ruby? You only ate two!" Chomper asked quickly as he was greedily swallowing another scaly swimmer. It was clear that his friend hadn't eaten her fill even if it were her idea to stop to eat in the first place.

"I'll survive with this, thanks. They weren't that good. Of course, you can eat more, if you want to." The fast runner's disgusted face told everything the sharptooth wanted to know as he looked at his caretaker in mild disappointment. It was clear that she hadn't ended her hunger but maybe she would still be ready to finish the journey.

"Nope, I'm done! Let's go when you're ready!" Chomper said as Ruby slowly calmed down. The Bright Circle was slowly approaching its pinnacle in the sky, confirming that the journey had went on far slower than they had expected. Still, they weren't exactly worried as there wasn't any particular hurry.

"Very well, let's go meet our parents!" Ruby was about to answer when a loud roar rang from the hills in front of them. It was far enough for its cause not to be an immediate danger but the voice was coming from the same direction where Ruby and Chomper were heading to. The two dinosaurs looked forward in fear, clearly disheartened by this unwelcome turn of events.

"It's… it's a sail-backed sharptooth." Chomper whispered in a silent voice, the amount of horror in his voice surprising the sharptooth himself.

"Oh no… not sail backs…" Those words were all the fast runner could say as she thought about the coming hours. Even if she wasn't exactly surprised to meet sharpteeth outside the Valley, its kind brought a sickening feeling to her stomach. That sharptooth kind wasn't the fastest or the sneakiest but they were more persistent and violent than many other kinds. They wouldn't give up a chase until their prey lay broken in their teeth.

"It's roaring near one of the passes that lead to the Hanging Rock! It sounds like it is going even further towards it! We have to be more silent than it is if we are going to avoid meeting it." Chomper said as he started to think about their chances. The voice belonged to an adult so they would have no chance if they confronted it headlong. Trying to avoid any meeting with it would be their best chance to reach their destination safely. They had to use that particular way: even Ruby wouldn't be able to find her home if they tried to head for the maze of rocky corridors from the wrong opening.

"The wind is blowing towards us! We may have a chance to hide our coming from it if we're clever. There are some smaller paths around the sharptooth, other paths there are! The sail back won't catch us if we use ways it cannot use!" Ruby said as she pondered the situation. The entrance to the hills was near them so they wouldn't get another chance to think about their strategy, no matter how unpredictable they could prove later on.

"I hope you're right, Ruby. Mommy and daddy always told that I should stay as far as I can from them, at least until I'm fully grown. They eat everything they can get their claws into." Chomper said to Ruby who tried to look more relaxed than she actually was. Still, now wasn't the time to turn back or go adventuring with new, unknown paths. If her guess was correct, their friends would soon be faced with the same ordeal to trick the large carnivore.

"My parents have lived with these sharpteeth for years, Chomper! If they can avoid these, so can we if we can just hide our presence from it!" Chomper looked at his caretaker with a friendly but unsure expression, not knowing what to think. However, Ruby had a good point in saying that these beasts were far from invincible. There could just be a chance to go past it with a bit of cunning and luck. The two started to approach the mountains carefully, determined to stay one step ahead of the sharptooth at all times. Even then, they couldn't give the villain their undivided attention. At the back of the fast runner and the sharptooth's mind lay the knowledge that behind that carnivore waited either a cheerful reunion with their friends or their heartbreaking and possibly final parting of the ways.

* * *

 **So Ducky's guess about Ruby and Chomper's direction was a correct one but what will happen as the two groups approach the Hanging Rock? And what is going to unfold once they reach their destination?**

 **The Rhombus: I'm glad that you found the characterizations enjoyable and in-character. I agree that we should have seen more of the characters' thoughts and I'm hoping to do better from now on. As for Petrie, a long and possibly unsuccessful scouting trip could have wasted a lot of time and possibly drawn unwanted attention from the other fliers.**


	6. A Close Skirmish

**A Close Skirmish**

Petrie shuddered in fear as he saw the small rocky path growing narrower and slowly starting to slope upwards. The dreary walls of rock were nothing new in the hills of the Mysterious Beyond but the sudden, eerie silence of the sharptooth creeped the flier to the core. He was flying high above his friends, trying to see any trace of the carnivore in the pathways below. To the flier's great concern, the sharptooth had disappeared as if it never had never been there in the first place. The brown flier couldn't help but see the vision of the sharptooth jumping from one of the countless caves of the region, attacking his friends before they could get any chance to try to defend themselves.

"Petrie! Do you see anything?" Littlefoot called silently from under him, his voice almost as concerned as Petrie's. The flier quickly descended to give his answer. They did everything as silently as they could as it was of utmost importance that they tried to keep their presence a secret as long as they only could.

"No… Petrie see nothing! The sharptooth must be hiding somewhere in the caves!" Petrie said fearfully to Littlefoot who felt the concerned grip in belly only tightening by the minute. Had the sharptooth already smelled them? Was it hiding and waiting for the five friends in some spot or had it went to rest due to fatigue or simply left the region? Whatever its whereabouts, each of the dinosaurs had to prepare mentally to the danger that hung over them like a pitch-black cloud. After a moment, just as Petrie was about to take off again, Ducky asked in clear hesitation. Her voice seemed like a forced one and it was hiding clear frustration. However, for now it seemed to be hidden quite well in the swimmer's neutral expression.

"Umm, Petrie? I was wondering about the last time you met Ruby and Chomper…" Ducky was seemingly disturbed by the event. She couldn't comprehend Volant's actions and neither could she accept the fact that Petrie was completely unable to help the two. She didn't want to accept it herself but she couldn't help but feel that Petrie could have prevented this entire journey from happening. Petrie looked at the swimmer in a mixed expression, somewhat disappointed by the fact that the issue was brought up once again. The night and the morning had been a distressful one for the flier and he felt the horror of that moment still lingering in his mind.

"Petrie already tell what happened, Ducky. Me so sorry for that." Petrie couldn't say anything that he hadn't said already. He felt immense guilt for being unable to help the two but as he saw it, there was nothing he could have done. That didn't drive away the sickening feeling away but it gave him some comfort. Ducky was very unimpressed by the answer as she knew she wouldn't have given up so easily. Ducky knew that Petrie was often unsure and fearful of his own actions but this had been a moment when the flier should have stood up for himself. Her voice was piqued and increasingly angered as she answered to the flier. It was slowly starting to get the attention of her friends.

"I don't blame you, Petrie, but it was just so wrong. Why didn't you follow them or call us quicker? We could be with Ruby and Chomper already if you had done something quicker!" Ducky seemed to be more like pondering out loud than outright accusing her friend of the situation but its effects were already being seen. Littlefoot tilted his head as he watched at the two. In the longneck's mind, the whole situation was like a terrible coincidence that had created only accidental victims without any notable villains. He had oftentimes wanted to hope that his and his friends' lives could continue like they were forever but in the back of his mind, he knew that was impossible. In the light of the new thoughts that forcefully rose in his mind, the longneck was at a loss what to do even if they found Ruby and Chomper. His voice was soft and somewhat troubled as he spoke.

"I don't think Petrie could have done much more, Ducky. We cannot know what we have done in Petrie's position back then. We cannot blame him for that" Littlefoot tried to put Ducky in Petrie's position but he was only partially successful. Ducky could easily understand Littlefoot's point but something in the whole situation made her somewhat disappointed in Petrie. It wasn't usual for the swimmer but there were things which could force her misgivings rose to the surface unwillingly. The fear of losing her dear friends was one of those situations.

"We cannot but Petrie could have done more to convince his mama! At least he could have asked her to let them stay in the Hidden Canyon, he could, he could!" Ducky's voice turned into a more agitated one. Petrie wished to hear nothing more of it and the flier's expression darkened quickly the more he heard.

"That unfair! We be in enough trouble already and Petrie need no suck talk! If that what you think, Petrie have nothing more to say!" Petrie said in clear anger, his own anxiety intensifying his reaction to the swimmer's accusations. She had never attacked him this straightly and the flier could see that there were more concerns underlying in the swimmer's mind. Yet, Petrie cared little for it at the moment. He was incredibly hurt for being forced to face that situation and he certainly wasn't going to face those accusations for it. He had gone through enough already. The swimmer was about to answer when Cera quickly moved between them. The threehorn looked at the two in chagrin, willing to end the brewing argument right away.

"If you didn't notice, we're in the Mysterious Beyond stalked by a sharptooth! We cannot let you two begin a fight here so calm down!" Cera looked at the two in anger, willing to end the argument right away. The two looked at the threehorn and knew that she was right. Littlefoot looked at her in appreciation, thankful for her intervention. He would have almost wanted to chuckle of the many memories that he had about these kinds of Cera's antics during their journeys together. He had seen that same look targeted at him many times before, most recently during their search for Littlefoot's father, Bron, and those times hadn't been pretty. Still, both Littlefoot and Cera were deeply surprised as they heard Ducky's stern answer to Cera's words.

"If Petrie had done better, none of this would have happened! It's his fault!" Ducky sputtered in clear anger, stunning each of her friends still. Was it really Ducky who had said those words? None of the four other dinosaurs found any words to say, even Spike looking conflicted at first. Petrie looked at the swimmer in growing annoyance, his patience being heavily tested. After a moment, Littlefoot tried to ask in a worried voice.

"Ducky, what's wrong? Why are you acting like this?" The longneck tried to offer the swimmer an opening to explain her behavior but it earned only an annoyed sigh and a reluctant answer. Ducky's whole composure changed immediately from an angry look into a sad and resigned one. Her voice turned into a silent and dismissing one.

"It's nothing. Let's just go on." Ducky took off from her friends, signaling that there was nothing more she wished to discuss at the moment. Littlefoot and Cera looked at each other with concerned, asking looks but the two couldn't offer each other any answers. Spike looked at his sister with a sympathetic expression, slowly starting to understand the reason for the swimmer's behavior. The spiketail was the first to follow Ducky, willing to provide her the most comfort he could offer. However, the swimmer's words had already done their job.

Petrie looked at his friend in chagrin when snorted heavily and headed back towards the skies, his mind working overdrive to contain his feelings from the unexpected attack. The flier had been more than disturbed by the earlier events of the day than he would have wanted to admit. Most of all, his enraged thoughts were focused on his brother, Dasher, and his mother but even those feelings brought more conflict to his mind as he wanted nothing less than to start a conflict within his own family. He would have to have a deep conversation with them when he returned and he was far from looking forward to it. That, combined with the emotional impact of seeing Ruby and Chomper turn their backs on the Valley left precious little patience for Ducky's attacks. Had the flier been in his normal state of mind, he could have probably understood more readily the mess that was the young swimmer's current mind.

* * *

Ducky almost shuddered as she felt Spike's tongue touch her back. However, at this point she felt a mix of resentment and imminent guilt. She knew that she was being unreasonable but the events of the last week had already burdened her mind greatly. She had managed to hide it from her friends but today's events had broken her already stretched limits. However, Spike's gesture managed to relax the swimmer down somewhat, especially as it was her brother who was in the center of her concerns.

Ducky had noticed that recently Spike had started to drift even further from his family, a development that didn't seem to bother her siblings greatly. She was increasingly forced to choose whether she wanted to spend time with her other siblings or Spike. That wouldn't be a problem if one of her sisters hadn't escalated the situation by pointing out the spiketail's appetite and lack of speech as negative traits. Ever since her and Spike's arrival in the Valley, her siblings had most of the times stayed to themselves, leaving Ducky and especially Spike on their own. There wasn't real disagreements with the spiketail's presence but it had far too often been a distant relationship. However, the recent attacks were something Ducky couldn't stand, especially as they brought to mind her own attacks against Spike during their first real Cold Time. Those wounds still lingered in the young swimmer's mind even if the issue had been a long time ago. As a result, she had gone through many arguments with her siblings that had even caught the attention of their mother, even if they were still unsolved. Some of them had turned into rather mean ones and they had stretched Ducky's mind to a great degree already.

Ducky turned to meet her adopted brother in a weary manner, forcing a fleeting shadow of a smile before rising to his back once again. The swimmer wasn't on the mood to talk anymore as she feared her own frustrations would get the better of her. She would resolve her dispute with Petrie in time, when her feelings were more settled down. Before that, however, she still had this trip to complete. No matter what, she would try to stay silent before they found Ruby and Chomper.

* * *

The late morning continued in a silent and tense manner. There was very little chatter because of the apparent disagreements and the ever-present danger of the sharptooth ambushing the five dinosaurs from any given direction. There was still a good walk to the Hanging Rock and each meter of the way could be the one where their trek would end. The way could have been covered in less than an hour without the ever-present need for caution. Every shadow that the mountains cast upon the pathways housed a potential life-threatening foe that could end their wondering in a blink of an eye. The tangible threat was nothing new for the five dinosaurs but that didn't mean that it wouldn't cast an additional, menacing shadow upon their march.

Littlefoot couldn't help but wonder what was going in the minds of his friends. He knew that Ducky required a good reason for her behavior but he couldn't tell what it was. The longneck would have been willing to help her but he could do little if he didn't even know what was the reason for her anxiety. This disturbed him greatly as he wanted things to be well among his friends. Also, the longneck could only pray that Petrie wouldn't take too much offense for the brief exchange of those inconsiderate words. He could sense that Cera wasn't in any better mood than he was but Littlefoot hoped this issue could be resolved before it got out of hand. He knew from experience that underlying concerns grew only more difficult and stronger the more one dwelled in them. He could only wish they wouldn't be let loose in a manner that could strike more dividends among his friends.

Time passed and to everyone's relief, the fears of the sharptooth's imminent attack seemed to dissipate. It wouldn't be long before the Hanging Rock appeared from among the hills. The Bright Circle was nearing its zenith in the sky and with luck, Ruby and Chomper were near. The longneck was slowly starting to hope that at least the journey itself would go as they had hoped. That was, until he heard another, loud call of a hungry sharptooth. To his additional horror, Littlefoot saw a menacing shadow casting against a rock wall in the distance. It was but a tiny, fleeting sight but Littlefoot's eyes caught it nevertheless. He whispered quickly to his friends in a frightened voice.

"Quickly, go into hiding!" The others heard immediately from Littlefoot's tone that he was serious. There were remnants of rock falls everywhere that provided enough shelter for the five. While trembling heavily, Littlefoot carefully looked before him and to his horror, he could see that the shadow resembled a sharptooth's claw. It seemed to stay still which perplexed the longneck greatly. Why would a sharptooth stand still seemingly in the middle of nowhere? Unless of course…

"Let's go back, now! It is trying to smell where we are!" Each of the five started quickly move back the same way where they came from. With luck, the continuously changing direction of the wind would hold the carnivore away long enough for the leaf eaters to escape. They moved as silently as they could as the way started to slope heavily upwards. However, the ground started to shake violently, the shudders coming far too constantly for the voice to be any other than their worst fear. They immediately quickened their pace, hoping to lose the massive predator in the maze of the small pathways.

Petrie was the only one who had the chance to look at their chaser. To the flier's horror, it was a large sail-backed sharptooth, much larger than the one they had met after going after Guido. It was moving in long steps which almost resembled leaps and it was approaching its prey quickly. Realizing that he had an enormous advantage in this labyrinth due to his gift of flight, he quickly flew off upwards, trying to find a way for his friends to escape. Petrie could feel cold sweat flow in his forehead as he saw the bluish beast approach his friends. The flier's heart beat in his ears as his eyes scanned the many pathways below him. After a moment, he saw something that caught his interest and raised some initial hope. The flier quickly started lose altitude as he went to advise his friends.

"There be a cave to the left! That be the best way to escape!" The sharptooth was only two longneck's lengths behind the four as they headed to the smaller pathway that was supposed to be their rescue. The pathway was very narrow and it had many rocks that hindered fast movement. The sail back followed them immediately, the massive predator breaking parts of the walls as it headed towards the cave. To the sharptooth's surprise, it lost its scent of its prey immediately as it entered the cave.

The underground hall was a large one, with a seemingly deep lake in the middle of it. There were large parts of vegetation here and there with a few ground fuzzies running to their dens as the predator entered the cave. First, it stood almost still, searching for possible hiding places for its prey. Soon, it started to walk around the hall, not intending to let its dinner escape this dead end they had so willingly got themselves into.

* * *

Cera shuddered as she listened to the sail back walking around the hall, the footsteps occasionally growing louder and sometimes weaker as the beast continued its search. The carnivore's deep breaths were distinctly audible as it tried to locate the threehorn and her friends. They were protected by a group of water plants that smelled strongly as well as the many ground fuzzies but each of them knew that it was only a temporary shelter. Sooner or later, the sharptooth would tear down each plant and rock until it found its prey. The sail backs never let their food escape if they had the least of chances to catch them. Each of the five dinosaurs knew that they would have to move away and fast if they wished to live until the evening.

"Let's go this way! The tunnel seems to lead somewhere!" Littlefoot whispered in a barely audible voice as the sharptooth continued to search the caverns different parts. They could only hope that the darkness could shroud them long enough for them to make it into the low tunnel. Their hearts beat desperately as they heard the sail back's steps grow weaker once again. Now was the best chance they had to run for the escape. Littlefoot could feel his stomach sink as he took the last breath before going. The longneck eyed the pitch-black opening before him, praying from the bottom of his mind that his run wouldn't end prematurely.

The sharptooth heard the first steps the five friends took. Littlefoot looked in panic as the predator approached him with a terrifying pace. The longneck closed his eyes, preparing to feel the dying scream of one of his friends or the teeth of the ravenous sharptooth closing on his sides. He could see that the rescue was getting closer as the cave's ceiling grew ever lower. That was when, to the longneck's great horror, when he heard a painful cry from beside him. He immediately looked at the source of the cry but and he was expecting a terrifying, brutal sight but, to his immense relief, he was proven wrong. Spike had suffered a gaping wound to her tail which was bleeding but otherwise he was safe. The sharptooth could no longer catch the five friends from the corridor. Its leg was still scouring the small tunnel but it was several meters away from its prey.

"Are you alright, Spike?" Littlefoot asked carefully as his voice still held a high degree of concern. He regretted any injury his friends suffered but this time he had to be thankful for surviving with such a small injury.

Spike shuddered as he looked at the sharptooth snort in annoyance and walk away. The spiketail moaned sadly but it was apparent that he wasn't seriously hurt. He had been sure the beast would get her when he felt the stinging pain in his tail. The spiketail looked at his blood dripping to the floor with a pain-filled expression but he knew better than to complain. He was more than lucky not to be in the sharptooth's belly right now. Littlefoot smiled as he watched at his friends who were slowly regaining their calm after the close call.

"Let's go. The sharptooth can't follow us this way. Let's go meet Ruby and Chomper."

* * *

It wasn't long before the overwhelming darkness gave way to a bright day. The tunnel opened on a small mountain ledge overlooking a steep cliff beyond which lied their destination. The Hanging Rock gleamed deep yellow in the light of the late morning. They would still have to find their way through the ravine and an opening that led to the Rock. However, Littlefoot knew that they were already past the most dangerous part.

"Well, at least we're here. Ruby and Chomper better be too!" Cera said painfully as she looked at the sight before her. The threehorn sighed in relief as she smelled at the fresh air after the intense minutes in the dark cave. Ducky and Petrie didn't wish to partake in the jubilation just yet as the earlier argument still lingered in their minds. The two looked at Littlefoot and Cera as they started to head towards the ravine.

"Come on! We'll be there in no…" Littlefoot was about to say until his voice turned into a panicked scream. The entire ledge he was standing on seemed to break into a thousand pieces as the snout of a sail backed sharptooth hit the narrow pathway. The longneck twitched in horror as he hit the ground a few meters down the ledge he had dropped from. To his great luck, the longneck didn't wait a second until he started his escape. The sharptooth's leg hit almost immediately the spot he had landed on. Littlefoot's head was still confused by the hit and it took a lot of effort to not crash into the rocky walls.

Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike looked in terror at the sight unfolding below them. Littlefoot wouldn't stand a chance against the beast but what could they do? There was nothing in their disposal that could even hurt the massive carnivore. It was closing in on around Littlefoot and there was nowhere the longneck could even run at this point. It seemed like his end was finally at hand. However, Cera wasn't about to let it happen. Littlefoot was her oldest and first friend and she wouldn't let him fall here and now. The threehorn jumped quickly down to the ravine and headed after the sharptooth. Either she would save her friend or they would go down together. Petrie looked in panic at the escalating situation. His help was needed if the two were going to make it.

Littlefoot looked feverishly around himself, trying to find an opening that would let him escape. The canyon around him was slowly widening and there were a few openings but would they lead anywhere that could provide him with a chance of escape? He could only listen as the sharptooth's steps drew quickly closer, soon to be heard on his sides before his whole body would be crushed to pieces. He was already preparing for the abrupt end when to the longneck's great surprise, he could heard his chaser hit the surrounding rock wall and then fall to the ground. When Littlefoot turned around, he saw Cera panting in fear. Apparently the threehorn had toppled the sharptooth by hitting it in its sol.

"Cera! Run, it won't be long before the sharptooth is on its legs again!" Littlefoot called, still prepared for the possibility that he wouldn't be able to flee in time. However, Cera answered in a similarly eager manner.

"Without you? Don't be foolish, Littlefoot! That way seems to head somewhere!" The threehorn said while she pointed to a small opening that headed downwards to what seemed like a small lake. Seeing that his friends had a chance once again, Petrie realized that he had a chance to buy them some extra time. The flier landed on the sharptooth's snout as it was rising to its feet. He knew that the sail back wouldn't let him touch its eyes, the flier circled around its head, forcing it to continuously guard is eyes. This mischief bought his friends many seconds before the sharptooth could force Petrie away from the danger zone. However, to the sharptooth's great frustration, the two had already escaped. Luckily, it had seen which way the two had taken.

"Ewww! What is this?" Cera said as she looked in disgust at her legs. They were covered in disgusting-smelling, brown goo that covered the entire small plateau in the middle of the swirling mountains. It was a small but rather deep bog, one that had seemingly claimed many lives who had tried to cross it. It was apparent by the many decaying bones floating in the deeper part of the swamp which was most likely a potent deathtrap.

"I don't know but at least it covers our smell well. Let's make sure that this time the sharptooth won't find our trail again!" Littlefoot said resolutely as he looked from the small bush they were hiding in. It was clear that he meant every word but that didn't change the situation they found themselves in. They were in a similar trap than in the cave, only waiting until the sharptooth would find them. They couldn't run without being seen but they would be found without long. Both the longneck and the threehorn tried to come up with a successful plan but the time was running short. To their great luck, Petrie got an idea that could possibly end this nightmarish chase for now. The flier headed towards the opposing side of the swamp, near a large rock that was also a potential hideout for the leaf eaters. To further enhance the impression, Petrie started to call to his friends as if they were near him. However, his words were really targeted to Littlefoot and Cera but the flier realized that the sharptooth wouldn't understand whatever he said. Of all the sharpteeth they had met, only Chomper was able to speak their language.

"Go when the sharptooth near me! Petrie hold it here long enough!" Petrie called in a loud voice. The sail back had learned during its life that the leaf eaters were far from clever and it didn't wonder for a moment whether the flier was stupid enough to reveal his friends. It ran as fast as it could in the disgusting ichor but it managed to reach the rock rather quickly. The sail neck's attack was brutal as it jumped over the rock, smashing everything around it. Pieces of rock flew here and there when the sharptooth unleashed its rage after realizing it had been tricked once again. However, that realization came too late for the enraged carnivore.

Littlefoot and Cera both knew that this was their chance to escape. The sharptooth wouldn't be able to see their flight from the position it was now and its sense of smell was still overshadowed by the intense reek of the swamp. The threehorn and the longneck quickly headed towards a path that they hoped would lead towards the Hanging Rock. The way rose steeply and took a sharp turn to the right. The two continued to run for many minutes, waiting with dread for the sound of the footsteps to once again appear behind them. However, it never reappeared. The sharptooth didn't follow them and soon enough, the sight of the Hanging Rock opened in front of the two. Even in the huzzle, they had managed to go to the right direction. It wasn't long until a familiar voice called silently from nearby.

"Littlefoot! Cera! I'm so happy you're alright! Come, I and Spike found the way while you were away!" Ducky said from a lower ledge.

"Petrie tell them where you are! The sharptooth went the wrong away and it not coming back! It not even know where we went" Petrie called as he flew towards his four friends. He had flown high enough for Ducky and Spike be able to see where the their friends were and to allow them to try to find for a way towards them. Even if the intense relief of the situation was by far the dominating tone in the flier's voice, it still held the traces of chagrin towards the swimmer which could also be read in Ducky's gestures. It was clear that not everything was right between the two.

Petrie looked at the Hanging Rock, overjoyed by the fact that they had managed to escape this sharptooth attack in good health. Still, he was fearful what would follow when they found their friends. And even more imminently, what was wrong with Ducky? He would have wanted nothing more than to get the issue over with but not without an apology. Petrie wasn't one to hold a grudge as it only made him feel very bad about his antics. However, Ducky's behavior wasn't something he wanted to just pass up. The swimmer had often been his closest friend and he was willing to forgive a lot for her. He only hoped she would see reason soon enough.

Littlefoot was already focusing all his attention on the following meeting. He would do his all to bring Chomper and Ruby back home but he couldn't even think about what was going in the heads of his two friends. He knew they would want to reunite with their friends but would they return to the valley at this point? How would he try to assure them that they still had a place to return to? No matter what, the longneck knew that the coming hours would be far from easy for anyone involved. He could only hope it had a happy ending.

* * *

 **Now that the** **imposing sharptooth threat has been dealt with, the way to hanging Rock is clear. What will happen once the Gang finds their friends under these circumstances?**

 **The Rhombus: Thank you very much for the nicely detailed review! :) I'm happy that you found the chapter and especially those parts successful as they were necessary to show what is truly at stake here. Ruby's old life seems to be too narrow for her to return to while Chomper's past is an anathema to what he had learned to accept during his time in the Valley. Even if the concrete danger has been dealt with for now, there are a lot of emotional conflicts on the way for everyone involved and I hope I'll be able to continue to deliver them in a satisfactory manner.**


	7. Of Memories and Reunions

**Of Memories and Reunions**

Ruby listened in distinct fear as the sail back's roars rang through the mountains. She couldn't see it among the endless cliffs but it was clear that it was on the hunt. She shuddered to think what would happen to its poor prey but sadly, it was something that happened daily in the merciless expanse of the Mysterious Beyond. Especially as she was rather sure that her five friends wouldn't arrive anytime soon, there was no reason to dwell in compassion for the others as each day was an ordeal for everyone in the endless struggle for life. In the end, the fast runner felt most of all gratitude for the sharptooth's preoccupation with the current chase. Ruby merely shrugged as she peeked from behind a wall to check that there wouldn't be more surprises on the way. She whispered to Chomper in a hopeful way.

"The way is clear, Chomper! Let's go while we have the chance!" The two started to move fast towards the direction in which the Hanging Rock loomed. They looked in deep fear around them, praying from the bottom of their hearts that there wouldn't be any new threats hiding in the menacing shadows. Only the wandering wind accompanied the sounds of the chase as the fast runner and the sharptooth headed towards their destination. Even then, one concern loomed in Ruby's mind. The Hanging Rock served as her family's shelter in times of danger but it wasn't guaranteed that they would be there even now. Her mother had told Ruby to seek her there if she wished to find her but what if she couldn't expect Ruby's return? Even then, she knew that her family never went far from the Rock so finding them shouldn't be too difficult in any case.

The fast runner gritted her teeth as she expected the image of her family's appearance from behind the next rocks. It seemed like yesterday when she had last seen her family come to greet her from the cave on the ledge overlooking the highlands surrounding it. She had walked this hidden pathway countless times and right now, it felt like the only home Ruby had ever had, even if she had left it in a highly regrettable manner. The fast runner remembered that day like yesterday even if it felt like a complete lifetime since it happened. It had been an abrupt end to the endless, happy days she had spent with her family. The sights that opened in the gorges below took her immediately back to her seventh Star Day and the last day when she could fully and completely say she had a family.

* * *

"I'll find you soon, find you I will, Arial! Just wait for it…" Ruby said in mock menace, shivering her eyes in order to see any small movement by her siblings easier. The three loved to play the game, which very closely resembled Hide and Seek. Instead of merely seeking a hiding place, the focus of the game was to work together to hide from the seeker in a rather large area. Even if the oldest sibling was often the seeker, there were times when Ruby could also join the hiders. They had been playing for some time while waiting for their parents to prepare Ruby Star Day surprise.

The fast runner's eyes scoured the surrounding rocks, willing to see a flicker of a small, pink tail somewhere but the two young fast runners were unbelievably cunning for their age. Trying to find them was always big if pleasant a challenge to their older sister. Ruby enjoyed these games immensely as it a good way to combine having fun with her family with the necessary training for the future.

"Orchid, you cannot hide from me forever…" Ruby said in a deep voice after which she took a more mischievous expression. A small flicker of pink feather could be seen on a cliff above her, but she showed nothing that implied that she had seen the other fast runner. She continued to walk normally, even if she headed towards a pathway that led upwards towards the cliff. Of course, she knew this would prompt the hider to seek shelter elsewhere but that was exactly when Ruby jumped on the ledge, immediately making Arial flee in a desperate attempt to remain unseen. However, Ruby could immediately tell where she was going and she was rather surprised to hear another voice slowly trying to get further away from her. Ruby jumped immediately on a rock to her left, smiling a mischievous smile as she spoke to her brother.

"I found you, Orchid! You should know these hills better than this!" Ruby looked as Orchid looked in fake embarrassment at the ground, knowing full well that Ruby was much more capable of remembering the terrain due to her age and larger experience.

"Aww, I couldn't know that you came this way! You'll never find me next time, you see!" Orchid said as Ruby suddenly sprinted away from him, surprising the other young fast runner behind the other wall. Ruby's voice was triumphant as she called to both of her siblings, chuckling at her success.

"You both did well but I did better! It'll take much more practice before you'll beat your elder sister!" The two younger fast runners exchanged glances as they took mischievous smiles. They spoke nothing but started to slowly approach their sister, looking at her very oddly. Ruby was just about to ask what was going on when they jumped on her, tickling her heavily and felling her to the ground. In the midst of her struggles and laughs, Orchid spoke in a teasing way.

"You cheat, Ruby! There's no way you didn't listen to where we went!" Orchid's voice was highly smug and it carried a sense of joy at the payback to their sister. Arial continued quickly in a similar tone.

"Yeah, you'll see! We'll eat your snapping shells for this!" Arial looked in amusement as Ruby finally broke away from her siblings' treatment. She continued to laugh as she answered in an equally mischievous and teasing voice.

"No, you won't! It is me who deserves some extra, you little vermin. Attacking your older sister like this deserves some punishment, don't you think?" Ruby answered in a cheeky grin, willing to tease the two children even further. They were overly competitive with each other and with her but otherwise Ruby was grateful for each day she could spend with them. Even if overseeing them got on the older fast runner's nerves often, she loved each of them dearly due to their playful and cheerful attitudes. The two seemed concerned at first but then they countered quickly.

"You remember what dad says, Ruby! Only the real lessons affect our meals!" Orchid smiled in a smug way before Ruby countered him quickly.

"You only obey to daddy when it benefits you! Or do you claim to always listen to his every word!" Ruby grinned as she thought about her brother's double standards. Neither of the two were any more obedient than any other children their age and their attempts to justify their mischief always brought great joy to the oldest sibling. Ruby was about to answer when an urgent, even alerted voice called from the distance. It was her father, Detras, and it was clear that there was something he really needed to tell which wasn't related to her Star Day in any way.

"Ruby, Chomper, come here now!"

Ruby sighed in chagrin as she would have been willing to continue her games with her siblings. She looked at the two in clear disappointment before she spoke to them in as kind voice as she could.

"Come with me. Let's see what's wrong with Daddy."

* * *

The two adult fast runners were waiting for Ruby in one of their most usual spots in a small opening deep within the hills which was centered on a small, shallow lake. Chomper was with them, looking around himself with a highly unsure expression. He had lived with the fast runners for five days by now, ever since his parents had deemed Red Claw's threat too large for him to stay with them. The fast runners were indebted to the sharpteeth for saving their lives even if they had in turn provided them a group of spiketails hiding nearby as a meal in return. None of the fast runners were happy or proud about such arrangements but any of them would rather sacrifice another family instead of their own. Also, the two families had been "allied" since that day, respecting and trusting each other's ability to stay useful and helpful to the other. Chomper was still slightly anxious about his new, temporary home as none of the others seemed too happy about his presence. Ruby was the only one who had showed him some kind of companionship during his time with the fast runners even if she, too, still preferred to spend more time with her siblings than with him. He couldn't blame her, though, as not many non-meat eaters welcomed the presence of a sharptooth.

"Ruby! Thank goodness you're alright!" Ruby's mother, Pearl, said as she saw her daughter approaching from the upper hills. Her voice was clearly alerted to a degree which scared Ruby greatly.

"What's wrong mommy?" She asked carefully before she noticed Chomper looking at her with an almost fearful voice. His expression told her that something bad was going to happen.

"Ruby, we've seen that Red Claw is searching these hills for us. It'll take a lot of time and luck but he'll find here eventually and, no matter what, we've got to keep Chomper safe or else his parents… won't be happy. We've got to take him out of here." Pearl's voice was clearly saddened and fearful as she spoke to her daughter. Ruby was still oblivious to her proposition until Detras cleared his throat and joined conversation.

"Our safety is at the stake, Ruby, and we've got to keep the trust of our few allies against Red Claw. Arial and Orchid are too young to move too far and you've been a good friend to Chomper during his time here. We cannot ask it from you but could you take Chomper to the Great Valley and keep him safe?" Detras asked carefully in order not to make the breaking of the news too difficult for the younger fast biter. Ruby stood still, her mind unable to process all of the information at once. Was she being asked to leave her family and to live somewhere else, possibly alone? Her parents had always told her that staying safe was the way to a long life but this time the request was too big for her. With a wavering voice, the young fast runner looked at her parents and at Chomper who was visibly bothered by the conversation.

"But… but I don't want to leave you, either! Chomper's really nice but the Valley is far away and you've always told me not to trust leaf-eaters easily! I wanna… I wanna stay here with you!" Ruby looked at them pleadingly, not willing to leave her family just yet. She had heard the reason for the request but it helped little at this point to the young child. She didn't feel ready for this kind of charge. Her feelings were further conflicted as she heard Arial's pleading voice behind her.

"Ruby can't go! She belongs here with us!" The young fast runner looked at her mother in a shocked expression, not even willing to think about the full implications of the words. Orchid quickly continued from his sister's words.

"We're good at hiding! The mean sharptooth won't find us we are real careful!" Orchid tried to reason and he even believed his own words. Still, he couldn't hide the fact that he dreaded the prospect of Ruby leaving as the three siblings had often been nearly inseparable. Pearl waved the younger children silent and continued to speak to Ruby.

"Don't worry, we'll always be here for you, Ruby! I know you don't want to go but it is not safe for Chomper to be here anymore! You may visit us whenever you want but, please, do this. We cannot afford to get more enemies than we already have! Do you understand, Ruby?" Pearl looked Ruby in the eyes, willing to make her daughter understand what was at stake. Ruby sobbed slightly before she bowed her head and answered in a silent voice.

"Yes, mommy. I'll go." Ruby felt terrible for agreeing to the proposition but she knew this was a chance to help her family survive. With any luck, the life in the Valley wouldn't be too terrible. The young fast runner had often been warned that one had to sacrifice for her family during times of need but it had never happened before. Her parents were seemingly relieved by Ruby's display of maturity and Detras then spoke in a more cheerful voice. He seemed happy by the development and his voice was a mix of pride and relief.

"But we mustn't forget that today is your Star Day, Ruby! It is supposed to be happy so look at what we have collected for you!" The two adult fast runners walked behind a nearby rock and revealed a giant leaf filled with sweet bubbles and clapping shells, her favorite food. Just as she was getting ready to thank her parents, Pearl spoke in a warm voice.

"We wouldn't want your Star Day be sad, wouldn't we? For today at least, everything will be like it always has been." Ruby took an overjoyed expression and moved on to hug her parents, speaking in a soft voice while she prepared to dig onto her food.

"Thank you so much mommy and daddy! Thank you for making this Star Day so special!" The young fast runner moved on to eating her food while her parents smiled to each other. After a long time of eating and playing together, when the afternoon was growing old and the overall celebrations were starting to end, Pearl wished to voice the main and final congratulations to her daughter.

"Happy Star Day, Ruby! I'm glad we could spend this Star Day together." Her voice was near to melancholic, knowing that tomorrow was the day of their first longer parting. Still, this was the life of a fast runner. Ruby's voice carried a similar underneath tone but her words were extremely heartfelt and bittersweet when she answered.

"Me too, mum. Simply saying I love you doesn't say how much I love you." The fast runners locked each other in one final embrace to which Pearl answered shortly.

"And we love you too, Ruby." Her expression was appreciating due to the overall situation and to the way Ruby handled the difficult situation. Once again, the coming journey came into her mind and the younger fast runner took a sadder, more serious tone.

"I already miss you and I haven't even left!" Ruby looked at Pearl when she heard her father's words behind her. His voice was kind and he looked at his daughter in a melancholic way.

"Well, you must learn how Chomper's friends in the Great Valley work together." He had mentioned about the group of young dinosaurs in the Valley but the overall prospect of getting to know them made the young fast runner fearful. She had been taught that the leaf eaters didn't trust her kind at all and that cooperation between them and the fast runners had oftentimes been difficult and tense. Moreover, her own shyness helped things none. She turned her head anxiously back towards Pearl who started her attempt to continue from her mate's words.

"Yes, Ruby. That knowledge could one day save us all from…"

"Red Claw!"

The sudden cry from Chomper turned everything upside down immediately. A few hurried, unthought words were exchanged between the fast runners which quickly decided that the time for departure had come. The following hour had turned into a mixture of fear, concern and blurred images in her mind, caused by the massive upheaval of that day that had changed her life for many Cold Times. Could it be that today's return would be the closure of that saga in her life, in both good and bad? That day floated in her mind as she prepared to meet her family and to pray that she hadn't betrayed their trust by returning prematurely, possibly infuriating Chomper's parents. All the fears and hopes fought for dominance in their mind but Ruby wanted the possible reunion to be as easy as possible.

* * *

The fast runner started to run towards the opening, exclaiming it in distinct jubilation as she called there in a hopeful voice. She waited in deep elation at the possible answer, more than ready to rejoin her family for even a moment.

"Mommy, daddy, I'm back, back I am! I'm so glad to see you again!" Ruby's voice was unsure but hopeful as she waited for an answer from the cave. Seconds went by, the fast runner waiting to hear the overjoyed calls of her younger siblings. To her great concern, none ever came. She took a more anxious expression as she started to move closer, deep concern beginning to creep on her face.

"Arial? Orchid? Are you here?" The cave that had once served as the fast runners' home loomed empty and abandoned under the grey sky. Ruby's heart sank as she entered it, quickly sprinting deep within it, the same sense of loneliness and moodiness hanging in every corner of the cave. She knew each of the small rooms and small hole in the walls by heart, every feature bearing a multitude of memories from her childhood. Still, today it was as if no one had lived there in ages. The fast runner's mind started to move on overdrive as she heard a forcefully hopeful voice from behind her.

"Don't worry, Ruby. They can be searching for food or just on a trip somewhere. It's…" Chomper was quickly silenced by Ruby whose face turned into a mask of horror as a terrifying thought creeped into her mind. Her inhaling quickened and her voice grew quickly louder as she answered.

"What if the sharptooth is chasing my family!? My brother and sister are still too young to ran away quickly enough from that beast! Let's go, Chomper! We have to make sure they're safe!" After saying those brief words, Ruby headed back towards the cave opening, quickly looking over the ledge to determine where the beast was now. Her eyes scoured the hills and tunnels almost feverishly, initially in vain. However, after a few seconds a roar, possibly the most furious thus far, rang from behind a group of hills to the fast runner's left. She quickly turned to look at Chomper after which Ruby said quickly before sprinting away at her fastest possible speed.

"Let's go, Chomper! I'll never forgive myself if my siblings don't make it!" Chomper looked at his caretaker in compassion and dawning fear, fully knowing the danger they were putting themselves into. However, he also knew he would risk his life for his loved ones so he didn't hesitate a moment before following the fast runner. Her family would need all the help they could get if they were ever to survive the attack.

* * *

To her great puzzlement and concern, Ruby could hear the cries of agitation and fury but they no longer seemed to be towards the prey, they started to sound more like frustrated shouts into the air. This realization brought some relief to the fast runner as it at least meant that the sharptooth wasn't at all pleased with its hunt. A shadow of a hopeful smile crept to her lips when she approached a crossroads in the middle of a rocky plateau, high walls of stone surrounding the small paths in the middle of them. Had Ruby been even slightly more careful, she would have heard footsteps from the path to her right but by the time she heard them, it was already too late. She felt a collision in her legs after which she fell over, finding herself lying in the rocky ground with an aching pain in her body. However, she was stunned to hear a very familiar voice speaking in an annoyed tone.

"Stop running around like an idiot! I…" The voice stopped when another, much more friendly voice spoke. Its sound made Ruby forget everything about the painful fall, immediately rising back to her feet.

"Ruby! Are you alright?" Littlefoot asked in deep surprise, willing to check if his friend was alright after the unsavory fall. The fast runner chuckled as she prepared to answer, only now seeing Cera rising up from the ground. Ruby felt embarrassed for running against her friend in such a brash manner but luckily the threehorn seemed to be alright.

"I am! I'm so glad you found us this quickly! The sharptooth is chasing my family! We have to save them!" The reason for her initial alarm returned to her mind quickly and even if she was overjoyed to rejoin her friends, she had to make sure her family was alright too. That was until she heard Cera rather dry but warm comment.

"Ruby, it was us who were chased. It's a small wonder we're all here to tell about it but luckily Petrie could show us the right way to escape. I'm happy to see you too, Ruby." Cera took a warm smile with the last sentence, being just as relieved to find the fast runner as everybody else were. The threehorn was about to ask about Chomper's whereabouts when she heard his voice call from nearby, the sharptooth being left a good distance behind by Ruby's panicked sprint.

"It's great to see you, guys! I'm so happy to see you're all okay!" Chomper panted slightly after his run but the elation was clearly readable from his voice and expression. He hadn't heard Cera's words so he didn't know about the close call that his friends had just gone through. Petrie landed on the ground, answering to the sharptooth with a wide smile.

"We be too! We also fear you would be hunted by the sail neck but Petrie happy to see we all here! The sharptooth go the other way so we can forget it for now!" Ruby felt intense relief at the reunion as she had really feared that her guess about the others' destination was a wrong one. Even then, there might have been other complications that could have cut her friends' journey in a tragic way. But her earlier fear still lingered in her mind. Her expression turned into a more serious one as she asked carefully.

"So, did you see my family during your journey? We already searched the Hanging Rock and everywhere we searched, we found nothing!" Ruby frowned as she thought about her family's whereabouts. Even if they weren't at the Rock all the time, they should have heard her voice or seen her by now. The fact that they hadn't showed up by now caused deep concerns to her which Littlefoot's answer didn't alleviate at all.

"We didn't, Ruby. All of our efforts were to avoid getting eaten. Even then, I'm sure they're okay." Littlefoot tried to speak in an encouraging tone even if everyone knew that it was nothing more than wishful thinking. Ruby looked into a gorge on their left, her mind wandering in the fearful thoughts about her family's situation. Chomper knew it wouldn't relieve his caretaker but he knew it would be asked sooner or later.

"I haven't smelled them at any time, Ruby. Not even at the Rock. It's like they haven't been here in ages." His voice was now as concerned as the fast runner's but each of them knew panicking about it wouldn't help anyone. It was possible that they had moved somewhere else but even then, it raised the profound question: why? What would make her family leave their longtime home? Ruby couldn't find a satisfactory answer to that question so she merely sighed when she asked the next logical question. Her voice was hesitating and sad when she asked her friends about the obvious issue.

"So… I guess Petrie told everything about the last night?" Ruby looked almost dryly before her, fully knowing what her friends were going to say. She had hoped her family would comfort her in this question but, as so many things in the past few Cold Times, she would have to do as she saw was best. She exchanged glances with Chomper who also knew that the needed and long-feared conversation was coming.

"Yeah, he told everything. Still, you have to come with us back into the Valley. We'll sort this out in some way." The speaker was Cera whose voice was unusually calm and unemotional. Chomper was almost afraid by her antics. The sharptooth's mind was a complete flurry of fears and hopes as he tried to come up with something meaningful to say. He then answered carefully, voicing his own concerns about the coming hours.

"We cannot do that. Even if we came back, we wouldn't be let in! At this point everybody knows that we're bloodthirsty egg-stealers." Chomper's voice turned angry but it stayed in a controlled tone. His outburst earned a pair of worried glances from his friends, each one of them knowing that Chomper's words were exactly what everybody thought about the two right now. Additionally, the sharptooth no longer knew if a few more Cold Times in the Valley was worth going all this pain through again. The sharptooth looked in surprise when Ducky jumped from Spike's back and walked towards the two. Her earlier frustration still lingered in her mind but she tried to target it better than to fight with Petrie. She tried to hide her anger and to change it into a more caring disguise.

"You shouldn't care what the others think, no, no ,no! Petrie's mom might have told them at this point but that doesn't change the fact that her tale is wrong! If you tell them everything, they might see that you speak the truth! You cannot allow yourselves to be banished because of a lie!" Ducky gritted her teeth in an attempt to calm herself down. Her words sparked surprise from her friends, especially from Ruby and Chomper. They prepared to answer when Littlefoot continued from Ducky's words.

"Ducky's right. If we make them listen to us, we might be able to make them let you in again. There are many grown-ups who would most likely defend you." Littlefoot thought about his Grandparents, Thicknose and others who would more than likely stand for the two. They had been the most outspoken proponents of letting them into the Valley in the first place and there was a good chance they would believe the in the duo's innocence. Ruby knew it as well but the other denizens of the Valley made her extremely concerned. Letting them back would have to be made by near consensus and creating it would be a herculean task for anyone.

"Many would but how about Cera's dad or Petrie's relatives? They would end any talks and the clubtails would drive me away first and ask the questions afterwards. And if they crushed me and Chomper, there would be little to talk about. Also, they already proved that we have to go sooner rather than later." Ruby was about to continue when she was interrupted by Chomper who looked at her in a pleading way, willing to at least soften the fast runner's sentiment on their return.

"We should go, Ruby. Neither of us wants to really leave just yet. We don't lose anything if we try to prove we're innocent!" The sharptooth looked in concern at his caretaker's conflicted expression, praying in his mind that she would accept the proposal. After a moment of Ruby's hesitation, Cera spoke in a mix of internal agitation and warming comfort, willing to create more hope in her torn friends.

"You don't have to worry about my dad! It'll be a complete pain but I'll change his mind with Tria's help. He never stays defiant for long if we all try to convince him. If we get enough grown-ups to believe us, we might force the others to accept you back!" Cera wasn't sure whether she believed her own words but for her own peace of mind, she had to. She tried to look as calm as she could when the threehorn heard Petrie's voice continuing her own assurances.

"Momma did what she did because she had to! She accept you back if the others will. The other fliers will agree, they not care. We will make it happen." Petrie said while smiling at Ruby and Chomper, fully believing his own words. The others looked at Ruby hopefully who seemed to ponder at the situation greatly. It seemed to make sense but too much bad blood had been created for her to accept the proposition right away. No matter what, she or Chomper would never be seen as real residents of the Valley anymore. The fast runner wasn't sure if that was the kind of life she would want to lead again.

"That may be but there are many who don't want us back. And I don't want to live in a place where most dinosaurs hate us and wait eagerly for the moment when they can get another excuse to kick us out for good! There are far too many who wish to see us leave the Valley forever to make our return make any sense!" Ruby said angrily, looking at her friends in near exhaustion. The situation was really starting to get on her nerves and her outburst didn't help it any. However, she was surprised by Littlefoot's frantic answer.

"We want you to come back! None of us should care what someone else thinks but neither of you wants to go yet! We cannot let a few denizens to keep you away and to get what they want. It has always been difficult to keep you accepted and you will have to leave at some point but that doesn't matter! I have treasured these Cold Times we have had together without measure and I know each of us feels the same way! Ruby, you don't know how many times we have been tried to be separated! Cera's dad tried to prohibit her from being with us, Petrie's uncle kidnapped Ducky and Spike even left us to live with his own kind for some time. Every time each of us did their all to rejoin us again and each time we succeeded. You two weren't there back then but you are part of our gang now. You have been with us far too long for us to think of ourselves only as the old five friends. You are part of us and I know each of us feels the same way!" Littlefoot spoke quickly and he was seemingly out of breath when he was finished. The longneck spoke without thinking and his words brought a shroud of silence and stunned thinking upon the seven friends, the five original members reflecting this situation on the old ones and to finally realize that the two indeed seemed like they had been part of the gang forever. Ruby and Chomper, on the other hand, were seemingly moved by Littlefoot's words and they exchanged glances to see if both of them thought the same way. They could easily see the impact the heartfelt outburst had on the two as this was the first time any of seven had voiced their feeling about their presence this straightly.

"Yeah… it seems like forever since we last did something without you. I too had my thoughts but you know what: I couldn't imagine our lives without you. You two, Tria and Tricia have truly made me who I am these days. My dad and Littlefoot often got my nerves before you came to balance things out. There are many others in the Valley who think the same. Please come back with us." Cera said slowly, surprising even herself with her voice and unusually kind words. However, this was the moment to voice her thoughts if she wanted to let the two know how much they meant to their friends. Chomper turned his gaze into the ground, seemingly at a loss of words. After a moment, the sharptooth finally started to speak in a silent voice.

"Thanks all. You are the best friends I've ever had and you've done so much more for me than just saving me as an egg. I would love to stay a few more Cold Times with you. What do you think, Ruby?" Chomper was seemingly moved by the display of loyalty by his friends but Ruby was completely stunned. Whereas the sharptooth had known the others since his birth, the fast runner was completely overwhelmed by the fact that their words had been so clearly to both of them. She had known and felt the mutual feelings between the seven but just feeling it was nothing compared to Littlefoot's heartfelt words and Cera's unusual soft moment. It was no longer about her own wishes and fears but rather about the renewed trust between the seven young dinosaurs. Littlefoot was right: she wasn't about to let a few fear-driven fools stand in her way. The fast runner's voice trembled as she gave her answer.

"I never dared to think that. I cannot believe that you saw me as one of you even after the adventures you shared without us. And believing that is still difficult after hearing you say that because I never dared to think that. We…" Ruby noticed that she was getting tied up in her own words, not even understanding herself what she was talking about. She looked away from the others in embarrassment before she started again.

"Thank you so much for those words! Of course I want to return home even if it will be a tough fight. But I cannot leave you after you came all this way to find me and Chomper. We've come too far to just give up because of my mistake. Thank you for making me see that." Ruby smiled widely as she looked at each of her five friends slowly. She knew she should have been prepared for this kind of welcome but she hadn't dared to think so even herself. However, she could feel her heart beat furiously in her chest as she turned to look at Chomper who was equally touched by the conversation. No matter what, the seven would stay together until each and every possibility to do so was spent. The coming evening would be heart-wrenching and tough debate but the five had reignited the duo's hope of what they thought would be a happy ending.

* * *

 **After the surprising reunion, another great challenge awaits. Will the Gang's promises prove true or will the coming return to the Valley be a failure? I hope you enjoyed this chapter and have a great time until next time!**

 **AllegroGiocoso: Thank you for the three great and thoughtful reviews! I'm truly glad that you've found this story highly interesting and I truly appreciate your feedback. It's good to hear that you found the action as well as the first introspection with the fast runners** **enjoyable in the first chapter** **. It is kind of a introduction to the situation where this story starts in as such, I'm glad to hear it was an interesting read. Petrie will be another major focus as we saw in the second part and his superstitions and their effects will be important in the story. The second chapter was quite challenging to write for some reason but luckily it seemed to turn out well.**

 **And yes, Ruby's part in the third chapter was very unfortunate. Even if one tried to be as careful as he or she can, there is still room for a mistake as Ruby just learned. Her feelings in the accident's aftermath were a complete mess and the situation was a terrible one for her. As for Petrie, the Gang has gone through far too much for any one of them to be prepared to turn on their friends like this. This situation might be an opening to develop his bravery but it will also bring some problems with it...**

 **In any case, thank you once more! I hope you'll also enjoy this chapter! :)**

 **The Rhombus: Yeah, Ducky is having a hard time and the last night's events alleviated her concerns none. There certainly are similarities between the two personal issues and it won't be easy for Ducky to handle them simultaneously. I'm happy that you found the chase scene also successful even if I think my action scenes still need some work. I hope you'll find the developments in this chapter also as enjoyable as in the last one!**


	8. The Meeting of the Herds

**The Meeting of the Herds**

The afternoon was slowly growing old as the familiar walls of the Great Valley slowly started to creep over the distant horizon. All of the seven friends were tired from the day of emotional and physical ordeals but each of them knew that the worst and most challenging part was still before them. They wouldn't return to the Valley without Ruby and Chomper but what happened if that wasn't possible in any reasonable way? Luckily for the young dinosaurs, the sail-backed sharptooth didn't return and they had the whole journey to think of a winning strategy in the coming battle for the Valley's minds and hearts.

The propositions had been many, from the strict rejection of the Valley's probable decision to expel the two to the pure coaxing of their parents. Still, in the end, this was an issue for all the Valley's herds so they should have as many grown-ups on their side as possible. Petrie looked around himself in concern and confusion as he mentally prepared to their return into their home. Surely, the Bright Circle and the Warm Time wouldn't allow the worst to happen? He and his friends had done their all to please the unseen benefactors of the fliers and the other dinosaurs and he had often wished to live in the belief that he had made it this far with his friends' as well as the Bright Circle's help.

Littlefoot's expression was strictly fearful. Even if many in the Valley had disapproved his and his friends' actions in the past, none of them had ever been under the threat of an exile. This wasn't the first time he'd stand up to his friends but it was by far the most serious one.

 _At least this time each of us agrees on what we are doing. I nothing else, my Grandpa and Grandma should have a powerful say today. Hopefully… just hopefully, I'll be able to spend the night with them…_ The longneck thought awkwardly, not willing to think about the alternate possibility. To him, only one outcome was acceptable. He had always gone to any lengths to help his friends and this time was no exception.

Ruby and Chomper walked behind the others, clearing their thoughts to put up as effective defense as they simply could. The coming hour would decide their future for a long time and they didn't want to let down their friends' display of trust and loyalty. Chomper felt extremely hopeful inside that he would be able to escape his feared future for now. Ruby, on the other hand, felt distinct concern due to her family's absence from the Hanging Rock but she had to hope that they were safe somewhere. The two were prepared to go through this together, no matter the outcome. A certain, encouraging message was clear each time they exchanged thoughts.

 _At least we're in this together._

* * *

The Bright Circle was still high in the sky as a few flying, shadowy figures could be seen over the Valley's walls. They started to quickly grow closer to the seven friends and it was mere minutes before they could be identified as Volant and her cousins who also lived in the Valley. It was clear that they had spent a long day searching for the lost children but, luckily to them, this time they returned rather quickly and safely. Still, Volant's voice was far from happy when she and her relatives landed near the seven friends. She got straight to the point when she saw that Ruby and Chomper were with them.

"I'm glad that you're alright, children, but we all know that Ruby and Chomper can't go back to the Valley. The herds will never accept it." The flier put her hands to her hips in a show of resolution and decisiveness. She had stood by her original judgement the whole day and she wasn't willing to change it now. In the light of everything that had happened, she was rather surprised to hear Petrie's answer.

"Actually, we think we have a chance, momma. Just give us that chance." Petrie said in a soft voice, not willing to alienate his own mother and one of the adults that could prove helpful in the proposed gathering. He knew Volant didn't have a personal drive to exile the two but even letting them to the Valley for a meeting would be a formidable show of trust and personal investment in their cause. If the attempt failed, her own and the fliers' standing among the herds would take a blow.

"Ruby and Chomper have their homes to return to, Petrie. Believe me this once, things will be better if we won't take this issue up in the Valley." Volant tried to plead to her son, desperately willing to avoid conflicts with her son and the Valley. She looked in deep confusion and concern as Chomper approached her.

"We have thought about this a lot, Ms. Flier. It would be easy for us to leave right now but we would really like to live in the Valley as long as we can. We may be sharp- of halfteeth but we really didn't steal the egg. We could have eaten it before you found us but we didn't." Chomper tried to reason carefully before Ruby came to his side. The fast runner took a more serious and apologizing tone.

"We are terribly sorry for what happened. I'll never forgive myself for the mistake I made but please, believe us when we say we stand a chance to convince the Valley. We've helped you and everyone else so many times and I think we have many friends there who would listen to us." Ruby spoke softly as she looked into Volant's eyes. The flier looked extremely conflicted when one of her companions spoke to her.

"Don't listen to them. Even if they end up being innocent, the fight to prove it will create divisions in the Valley for many Cold Times to come! Risking it and our own position I the Valley isn't worth two children who have to leave it anyway!" The male flier's voice told everyone that he took no joy in his strict position but he believed that his argument was completely rational. Another of Volant's companions continued in a more hostile voice.

"And even that's a big if! A fast runner found with a broken egg in the middle of the night doesn't sound too innocent to me!" The other flier tried to continue but Volant waved her silent. He could see that Petrie said what he genuinely believed to be the truth and she couldn't deny her own debt to the duo. Chomper had even saved her life when she was about to drown in the flood during the Days of Rising Waters. He could have attacked her children back had he wanted to but he had only wanted to help. Suddenly, she felt extremely guilty for putting the two in this position even if she still knew her responsibility to her herd. She took deep breaths when she turned to look at the children, taking deep breaths as she prepared to reveal her decision. She was clearly bothered and she held many pauses during her answer.

"Ruby… Chomper… You must understand that I'm taking a huge personal risk with this. And don't be surprised if I don't always stand up to you because I still am not sure what to believe. But what I do believe is that you deserve a chance to stand up to yourselves. I just fear it will be much harder than last time." Volant's eyes took an apologizing hue as she spoke the last words, implicating that her own stance was still undecided. The male flier to her left looked at Volant in chagrin and fear, saying in a demanding voice.

"That is a huge mistake, Volant! Nothing good will come of this!" The words were largely overshadowed by sounds of jubilation from the children who were seemingly delighted by this chance the flier had given them. Volant felt happiness to see their reaction but she also understood her cousin's opinion. With a sigh, she answered.

"I don't know about it anymore but I stand by my words. They deserve a chance. Come, we have to alert the Valley about the meeting." After those words, the adult flier raised her voice so that the seven friends could hear it also.

"One of us will stay here to check that you stay safe. Come to the Valley as soon as you can, we'll call the herds. They should be gathered by the time you reach the Circle. Even if I cannot say whether I like it or not, you kids sure have the courage to get things done. Let's hope it will also be enough today." Volant took a brief smile before Petrie answered to her in delight.

"Thank you so much, momma! Don't worry, soon things be good again! See you soon!" Petrie smiled as he took flight. Volant nodded in approval as she and the other fliers save for one took flight. Littlefoot looked at the departing forms and quickly spoke to the others. Volant's words had invoked further hopes within the longneck of their gamble succeeding and he felt great happiness and even pride as he turned to look at the others.

"Let's go. Let's show everyone what we can do."

* * *

Volant looked in clear hesitation as each of the herds started to gather around the Rock Circle, most of them confused about the situation whereas some others looked outright agitated. The fliers by her side didn't look any more encouraged but they had been with her in gathering this meeting. No matter their opinion on things, Volant hoped they would stay reasonable along with everyone who had come today. The first blow to the flier's composure came from Mr. Threehorn whose voice was very blunt. He had been very fast to accept the official account of Ruby and Chomper's fall from grace.

"What is the meaning of this? The egg-stealers are gone and Cera with them! We should be going after them rather than talking here and doing nothing!" The threehorn said in clear agitation as he looked at Volant. His position earned him many cheers among the crowd as usual. The flier waited for a moment in growing despair as the voices started to calm down.

"The kids are on their way back here with Ruby and Chomper right now. I met them and I decided to call…" Volant's answer was disturbed by a cry from the clubtails' direction. it was a mixture of outrage and sorrow as the female clubtail tried to cope with the loss of one of her children. She had spent the crying and trying to call for a group to catch the murderers. The clubtail was filled with sorrow and bitterness.

"Then drive them far away from here or even better, crush them! I will not let those child-murderers step to our beautiful Valley ever again! What were you thinking, barkbrain? They have no right to even come here!" The clubtail spat at the flier in clear disgust and fury. Volant felt rage rise over the larger dinosaurs' words when she heard Petrie's voice near her.

"Me friends already in the Valley, momma! They here right away!" The younger flier had decided to arrive faster than the others to inform his mother that she wouldn't have to wait with the others for long. However, Petrie was momentarily disheartened by the grim looks the assembled dinosaurs gave him. He quickly landed by his mother's side who them whispered to him silently.

"Yes, the meeting will be tough, Petrie. I just hope you and your friends can make your case clear!" Volant said as she prepared to answer to the others. At this point the older flier would have wished she had chosen differently about calling this meeting but there was no turning back anymore. She gulped audibly as she continued to calm the situation down until the seven friends would arrive.

* * *

 _I hope I won't have to see the others today, I do, I do! Things are bad enough right now!_

Ducky thought as she walked through the Valley by her friends' side. Even if she had calmed down somewhat, the prospect of having to once again meet her siblings brought great concern to the swimmer. Trying to convince the grown-ups was bad enough but if she had to fight with her siblings at the same time… things would get really horrifying. The swimmer's steps were nervous but she did her best to put on a brave face for the sake of her friends. There was far too much at stake here to worry about such small personal issues.

Littlefoot looked awkwardly at the distance. He could see that all of the Valley's adults had gathered there. Some of them looked happy to see the seven young dinosaurs, some were confused and some were seemingly hostile. Littlefoot was taken aback by the cold welcome but forced his legs to take the steps forward. Soon, as the longneck was near enough, he decided to break the silence, no matter awkward the manner would be.

"Uhh… hi everyone! I… it's great to see you're all here already!" Littlefoot tried to accompany his words with a smile but it quickly turned into a goofy-looking grin. The longneck realized it quickly and he was saddened when he heard the first answer. It was the dead hatchling's father.

"I don't care whether it was you who killed my child or your friends, you're all as guilty! Get out of this Valley now, or I don't answer for my actions!" It was clear that the clubtail was serious as his voice dripped venom and cold hatred as his eyes glared at Littlefoot. The scary moment was interrupted by Littlefoot's grandfather who spoke to the clubtail in a calm but commanding voice.

"Each of us partakes in your loss, Mr. Clubtail, but this is a matter left to all of us in the Valley. You may have your say but please, calm down and stop threatening Littlefoot." The old longneck looked in compassion at the smaller dinosaur whose answer was interrupted by a domehead.

"For what? Those heartless killers don't deserve to be heard!" The domehead spoke in anger as she looked at the longneck in an accusing glare.

"Ever since we came here, all of the herds have decided upon matters together. No matter what is to come, you will not decide about anything alone any more than I do!" Ducky's father said matter-of-factly, willing to make the domehead see reason. During these gatherings, each herd had one vote and it had to be formed by consensus within the herd's families. The system had been adopted due to the fact that the herds with larger families would otherwise soon hold too much power. Sometimes the consensus would be hard to build and in those cases abstaining from the vote was the most usual option. Before anyone else could say anything more, Littlefoot's Grandmother spoke quickly in order to stop the dangerous escalation.

"Now that we're all here, Volant can explain to us why she gave Ruby and Chomper a chance to come to this meeting." The message was clear: the longneck didn't expect the duo's case to be accepted. Volant sighed in relief and glanced gratefully at the longnecks. Without further interruptions, the flier started.

"I'm sure we all know by now what happened last night and I'm not saying that I trust our two guests myself. However, seeing to which lengths our children trust them and, whether you like it or not, how much they've helped us in the last seasons, I wanted to give them a chance to make their voices heard. I truly believe that they deserve that much. I'm going to be honest, I don't know what they are up to but I can only ask you to have an open mind. Ruby, say what you have to say." The adult flier said in a tired voice and the fast runner wasted no time in moving to the speaker's rock. Chomper followed near her but he didn't rise to the stone just yet. Ruby felt her heart sink as she looked at all the murderous glares from the audience. With a wavering voice, she started to speak.

"He… hello, everyone! There's nothing I can say to repair the damage I have done but I promise to you, I and Chomper didn't do what we did because we meant it. We tried to save the egg from egg-stealers and we succeeded but in a way, I'm a killer also. I tripped and the egg crashed because of my clumsiness." Ruby felt a tear fall from her eye as she taught about the life she had wasted so stupidly. In a way, she would have wanted to sink inside the rock as she felt unworthy to stand before the parents of the baby who would never see sunlight. Still, it was too late to regret her return to the Valley. Her internal conflict was stopped by Cera's father who called to the fast runner in an accusing voice.

"It's useless to paint yourself as innocent! There was never any proof of these eggstealers and it does you no good to invent these things to make yourself look less guilty!" Other voices joined the choir of accusations and Ruby felt like her head was slowly getting crushed under today's weight. With a desperate voice, she called over the noise in a loud voice.

"But it's true, true it is! We had a chance to eat the baby but we didn't! Why would we steal an egg after all this time, break it and leave the hatchling lie in a bush! You have no reason to believe me but it's not logical! Also, why would we have broken the egg in the middle of the Canyon where any flier can see us?" Ruby tried to reason to the Valley denizens when a voice called from the crowd.

"Maybe the hunger got the better of your judgement, sharptooth!" Another chorus of accusations rose from the assembled dinosaurs and they ranged from pure bloodthirst to the accused stupidity of "all sharpteeth", including the omnivores. Ruby frowned heavily at this outburst but the fast runner knew she'd have to keep her cool. At this point the rest of the seven friends started to disperse towards their families, resolved to ease the verbal bombardment Ruby was going through.

* * *

Cera felt great anger as she walked towards her father, her blood boiling as she listened to his words and cries in the crowd. However, she knew there was no way she could approach the older threehorn in a hostile manner and hope for him to listen. With great effort, Cera approached her father and tried to keep her voice as friendly and neutral as she could. She wasn't about to listen to his father's bellowing for any longer.

"Could you please listen for a moment, daddy?" Cera said as her father seemed startled by the sudden words. He turned to quickly look at his daughter who had managed to approach him without the older threehorn noticing. His composition immediately softened as he saw her daughter return safe and sound. Volant had said that she was with the others so there had been no reason to be concerned about Cera's whereabouts. However, he was more than happy to see Cera gree him even if he could already see what she was going to say.

"I know what you think, Cera, but there's nothing to talk about! The way I see it, the case is completely clear!" The adult threehorn prepared to listen to Ruby's next words but Cera's still-restrained voice took his attention. Mr. Threehorn would have wanted to be left alone with this matter but he knew that Cera wouldn't give up this easily.

"Didn't you hear what Ruby just said? If she and Chomper were searching for a meal here, they could have killed any of us during their time here or stolen any egg they would have wanted to. I know you never wanted them here anyway but listen to me this one time, daddy. They were with us in releasing the Valley's water supply and in getting rid of sand crawlers and they always acted like one of us. They didn't do it daddy, trust me" Cera was about to continue when another voice which had been silent until now joined the conversation.

"Cera's right, Topsy. If Ruby and Chomper had been up to no good, we would have seen it by now. I know you don't easily trust other dinosaurs too often but we do this time." Tria said as she moved closer to her mate. She had grown very fond of the duo and she was far from happy with her mate's handling of the situation. The male threehorn looked extremely bothered but he tried to keep his composure intact. He stuttered for a moment before he could clear out his thoughts.

"But… the flier told that she was sure of their guilt! I'm more than capable of understanding that she meant what she said! Leave me alone, there's a meeting to attend to!" The older threehorn wished to shrug the issue quickly away as he didn't want to be proven wrong once again. He trusted Cera and Tria's judgement but there were times he wanted to get something done where he was sure he was right. He had suffered too many defeats in the meetings to take on further setbacks kindly.

"Like many of the times where your decisions were far from perfect? Daddy, I've known my friends for a long time and there's nothing dangerous about them! We must let them stay!" Cera sharpened her voice quickly while her father took a deep sigh. She couldn't deny Cera's friendship with them but he wanted to do what he thought was right. The older threehorn was at a clear loss on what to say. After a moment, he tried to counter her argument.

"I've always done what I thought was right! Cera, you must believe me that not once did I put my personal well-being before yours. I always wanted the best and you know It!" Mr. Threehorn tried to put on a brave defense but, to his great shame, they ended up hurting the older dinosaur himself than they did Cera's position. His grave mistake in the huge forest fire during the drought, his efforts to separate Cera from Littlefoot and most importantly, his inability help his dear mate and children and his poor herd during their journey to the Valley. It was the truth that he had always cared about the others even more than about himself but total failure had more often than not been his prize. The mere thought about his original mate made him want to weep. Cera was his only concrete memory of her, the only thing that bound him to the past he had been forced to leave behind. Looking at Cera's pleading eyes made something turn in the threehorn's mind. He had shown his daughter far too seldom how much she really meant to him and the older threehorn understood how much Cera's friends meant to her.

 _If this is a way to make you happy, Cera, then so be it. I can do this._

Even if it would hurt him in the power struggle in the Valley, the threehorn could see this was a perfect time to show his appreciation to Cera and to please Tria. He took a much softer expression and almost smiled as she looked at Cera.

"I'll think about it, Cera." Something in the aging threehorn's voice told Cera that he really meant what he said. She took on a much happier face and nuzzled her father gently. This rare display of affection was largely missed by the herds too busy to bombard Ruby with their accusations to pay attention to other things.

* * *

Volant looked with a mixed expression at the scene below the large cliff she was standing on. No matter her initial reservations, her opinion was slowly moving to Ruby and Chomper's side in the argument as she listened to Ruby's emotional memories about her time in the Valley and the times she had been helpful to the others. Likewise, Petrie's urgent and genuine efforts to help his friends were slowly starting to register in the older flier's mind and the initial arguments were rather convincing. She had seen the scene firsthand and, after hearing the fast runner's descriptions, she was forced to believe that they hadn't been up to egg-stealing, no matter what it had looked like. Even if Petrie had often been repeatedly manipulated, most prominently by her brother, and easy to persuade, the adult flier could see that this was not the case here. It was clear that he was fuly and completely ready to accept the duo's innocence. Volant was startled by a sudden comment from her left.

"Well, Volant, this is going much better for you than expected! Even the old threehorn seems to be starting to hesitate! It seems that the kids are quite good at persuading." The male flier said with an unreadable expression. Even if he had initially tried to prevent this whole meeting from commencing, he was pleased to see his cousin's initiative hadn't been crushed right away. He was somewhat amused to hear Petrie's voice speak to him. The younger flier's voice was joking but it carried a sense of genuinely and gratefulness to it.

"It easier to trust us when we save the Valley so many times! Also, Ruby a great speaker and she make the others easily see that she speak the truth! Petrie so happy with this meeting!" The brown flier sounded extremely hopeful and the older flier smiled slightly when he answered. Even if he and Petrie didn't see each other too often, he was rather caring of his young relative and his siblings. Seeing that the fliers weren't going to be completely shamed today, his tone changed into an almost friendly one.

"Well, I hope this goes well for your sake, Petrie. Who would I be if I voted for their exile just to spoil your day. I'll help make them stay if the consensus starts to shift towards that direction." The older flier was happy to announce the good news to his cousin's son after he realized that the stakes were lowered considerably. Petrie looked at him in excitement before he nodded in approval. He answered quickly to the older male flier in clear appreciation.

"Thank you so much, uncle! Petrie promise Ruby will make the others see how things are! Thank you!" Petrie didn't find much more to say in this situation but two major blocs, Cera'father and his relatives, had been won to their side. Petrie sat down to the cliff to see how things would turn out. He felt perfectly confident as the rays of the late afternoon shined on him.

* * *

Ducky was having different challenges than her friends. Her parents were very understanding to her stance and they were happy to agree with her. Ducky looked in slight happiness at the developments around her. Most notable was Cera's conversation with her father and the clear uneasiness the older threehorn was apparently going through. Ruby had vacated the stone in order for the herds to be able to think about the developments before the voting process could begin. The fast runner had gone through her points but the others could have their say before the vote, if they wanted to. Ducky looked at Spike in a tired but somewhat relieved look. She was about to speak to her adopted brother when one of her sisters came to talk to her. Ducky had sat down further away from her siblings to avoid this but apparently they had a different idea.

"Is it really that hard to stay out of trouble, Ducky? Mom has been concerned the whole day and now you spoiled the evening with this meeting!" The speaking swimmer was darker green than Ducky and her voice was far from friendly. It was a mixture of smug jeer and real annoyance that had been far too common among the swimmers lately. Ducky closed her hands into a fist and felt her anger rise already as she answered.

"You know where we were, Tide! I know you have never approved of my and Spike's trips but that's none of your concern! Could you please go away?" The swimmer felt a flicker of bitterness flow through her as she thought about herself and her siblings. It wasn't too long ago when they were on good terms but for some reason, which wasn't completely Spike and his deviancy, that had escalated drastically lately. Now, Ducky wasn't willing to even see most of her siblings but this time she had hoped she could have escaped this torture. She sighed internally when another voice spoke behind her.

"Without this interruption we would be still playing but now we are forced to be here listening to this boring talk! This is all your and Spike's fault!" Another young swimmer approached Ducky, this one male, and his expression was just as furious as his sister's. This time Ducky turned around and her voice started to turn into an extremely toxic one. One that many others wouldn't have even recognized to have belonged to Ducky if they hadn't seen them come out of her mouth.

"If that's what you have to say, you may just leave. We did this to help our friends and if you think that's wrong, I don't want to hear it, no, no, no." Ducky turned her gaze back towards the main group of assembled dinosaurs and prayed in her mind that the other swimmers would leave her at peace. To her great chagrin, that wouldn't be the case.

"You mean those sharpteeth? We would all be better off without them! It seems your company has turned into an ever more stupid one!" Most of the young swimmers didn't know whether this behavior was "innocent" teasing or full-blown conflict but in the huge group of siblings it was easy to join this mentality and not question its reasons in any way. There were only two or three who had initially joined in bullying Ducky but it had since become a nonverbal consensus among the children that the two were unpopular. Their parents had noticed some kind of problems among their offspring but they couldn't guess its severity and Ducky wasn't willing to tell them. But now Ducky could see that the situation was getting too mean for her to stay. With a barely contained voice, Ducky walked to her brother and whispered to him silently. Spike seemed extremely sad about the situation and grunted in regret. Ducky merely sighed and whispered to him in a nearly tear-choking voice.

"Let's go see if the others have come back, Spike. I don't want to stay here any longer."

* * *

"Well done, Ruby! Some are looking really confused!" Chomper said as he spoke to the exhausted fast runner. The sharptooth felt distinct embarrassment for leaving the speaking to Ruby but he couldn't deny that the larger dinosaur was a better speaker and had a better chance in building confidence among the herds. The young sharptooth waited eagerly for the vote o see if they truly had done well enough to regain the herds' trust. The formula of the gathering was still the same as the first time so at least it wouldn't bring any surprises.

"Yes… yes they do, Chomper! Cera and Petrie did well, well they did! I wasn't shouted silent too many times anymore and some even seemed to realize but my point. At least we weren't driven off right away as I had feared." Ruby said while she panted, thankful for her friends for speaking to their parents and silencing at least part of the opposition. Chomper looked at the fast runner in a hesitating, unsure look before he spoke silently and carefully.

"Do you think we'll win? Silencing Cera's dad is really a good start but is it enough?" Chomper said with a slight smile on his face. Seeing all the trust and help his friends had given him and Ruby brought him great warmth and relief during this day of distress. No matter what happened, the duo's fate would be decided within an hour.

"A good start it is but I'm still afraid, Chomper. Some of the herds seem to have turned more understanding to us but the biggest problem remains. Even if most support us, I don't want to think what the clubtails are going to do if we win or what my parents would do to someone who would have killed anyone of my family. In a way, Chomper, I feel terrible and guilty for defending myself to the family whose child I took from them." Ruby said glumly as she looked at the blue sharptooth. The fact that she tried to free herself from the crime she actually did, even if unwillingly, made her feel worse than the fast runner had expected.

"Yeah… you're right. Even if it was an accident, we can never show ourselves to them again. I cannot blame them for wanting our blood but even then, we only tried to help. We shouldn't blame ourselves for the rest of our lives for a single, well-willing but failed chase." Chomper sounded beaten as he thought about the full implications of their deed but he chose to trust his own words. That was the best chance either of them had. Ruby would have wanted to talk more about her fears but she knew it would help little if she, who was known to be calm and reasonable, would start to panic. Ruby was about to answer when she heard an elderly, familiar voice speak among the crowd.

"May I have my say? I'd like to tell you something I think could clear the whole situation." the voice belonged to Mr. Thicknose who had thus far been quiet. His voice was grim but soft and he looked at the others in an asking look. Even if his position in the Valley had taken a massive hit during the fall of the Valley's first Frozen Sky Stars, his respect had partly been restored by his genuine and invaluable advice later on and his unmatched knowledge. No matter what, the ancient dinosaur's word would find many listening to them among the crowd. Everyone fell silent in the Valley as Thicknose started to speak.

"Ruby and Chomper have lived irreproachably with us for three Cold Times, without the least of incidents against the Valley. At this point, I doubt they have harbored hostile feelings on us, at least willingly, and because of that, the only thing that could possibly explain their claimed egg-stealing would be the hunger madness." Loud voices of gossip rose up from the crowd as they contemplated the old dinosaur's words. Few of them cared about the meat-eaters' issues and so nearly none of them had heard about this hunger madness. Ruby and Chomper looked at their teacher in puzzlement, unable to decide whether they approved Thicknose's initiative. Hunger madness was something they both dreaded heinously as their worst memories in their past were from the early stages of that bloodthirsty, meat-craving hunger. It was one of any dinosaur's worst fears and they weren't pleased to hear themselves and it in the same sentence.

"It's close to impossible that Ruby would have succumbed to it back then because she, despite also eating meat, can eat the green food here, as you all know. I can promise you that Ruby wouldn't have done that willingly and the hunger madness is out of the question. However, there's a chance she could have done it for Chomper. Even then, I doubt that's the case here. We should have seen it earlier and in that condition, he should have attacked one of our children brashly, not the eggs. I've heard many tales about the times when sharpteeth lose their self-control and this occasion surely doesn't sound like one. And, as I said, I hardly doubt they did it willingly. The way I see it, this was a pure mistake as Ruby and Chomper claimed, not a calculated kill. I say that we let them stay here." The old dinosaur's announcement earned many approving nods but part of the crowd seemed to explode into loud cries and enraged shouts. Thicknose walked slowly into his former place to escape the flurry of cries coming from some of the assembled herds. The whole gathering seemed to descent into chaos until one voice overshadowed the others in its enraged bellowing.

"SILENCE! He had his right to speak and we will not rob it from him! We will vote on this matter as we have always done!" The voice that seemed to freeze the whole scene still belonged to Mr. Threehorn who seemed to have lost his patience due to his internal confusion and the antics of some of the herds. He was surprised to be countered by another, just as furious voice.

"So that we can be manipulated to letting a murderer back into the Valley!? Can't you see that we're all being deceived? The kids can't be the only reason you change your minds about this! I always thought you more reasonable than this, threehorn!" The clubtail's voice dipped poison and disgust as she looked at the threehorn. An observer could have found the latter's changed role in the gatherings amusing if the stakes hadn't been so incredibly high. The threehorn wasn't used to such blunt-worded opposition to his stance as the longnecks had often been his principal adversaries in the past. Rather unusually for him, he decided to back down a bit from his previous stance. Creating a long-term rift between himself and the clubtails could cause him even more trouble in the meetings of the future. Still, he tried to keep on a rough mask on his face in order to retain his status.

"You don't have to tell me about such things! I lost many children and my mate to the sharpteeth so I know what you think about this. Still, we must do this according to our traditions or else this Valley would soon fall apart. I promise you, should the vote go your way, the two will receive a just punishment!" The threehorn hit the ground with his leg in order to underline his point. The clubtail looked at him in disappointment but at the sight of the condemning faces around her, she decided to take the chance. In her grief, the clubtail couldn't see a scenario where she and her mate would lose the vote.

"Very well. But remember: she is a child-killer and a filthy thief and he is a mere bloodthirsty monster! Remember this when you think about your stance." The clubtail backed down slowly, her eyes looking at Ruby and Chomper with a murderous glance. The two gulped and tried to ignore the voices in their own conscience. The knowledge that each and every part of the unending hatred towards them was earned brought great unease upon the two. Their internal conflicts were interrupted when Grandpa Longneck's voice could be heard in the clearing.

"It's time for us to reveal what we have decided. Each of the herds may tell during their turn in what conclusion they have come to. We'll start from our left side." The old longneck said in concerns as he looked at the highly tense situation in the meeting. He hated to see the herds this badly split by any issue but there was no helping that now. He could only hope that things would go as well as they could.

* * *

The seven friends had gathered back together to hear the decision of the herds. They would have wanted to stay with their families but they wished to prove their point by sticking together at this crucial moment. Ruby and Chomper were still far from safety and all they knew, the vote could still go against them. The five listened in silence at Mr. Threehorn's and the clubtail's spat and hoped that it wouldn't escalate further. Petrie spoke silently as they looked at the tense scene.

"Me hope the Warm Time thankful enough to help us. We gave it a lot of gifts and tales so it should be happy. We can only hope…" Petrie looked at the last day and he couldn't believe it himself that it had been less than a day since most of the herds had celebrated together in good spirit. It felt like it had happened an eternity ago as so much had happened since the last evening. Cera snorted as she looked at the clubtail's antics.

"How can that clubtail speak to my dad like that?! He should show teach her to mess up with a threehorn!" Cera looked at her in anger as the clubtail finally gave up and went back to her place. The whole atmosphere felt awkward as they waited for the gathering to resume in full swing. All of them felt a mixture of hope and fear but Ducky felt far more.

 _How can I make things good in our family again? I don't want this to continue any longer, no, no, no…_

Ducky would have wanted to cry as she thought about the last weeks but she decided to keep her concerns to herself for now. This was far worse than her anger at Spike all that time ago and letting those emotions out at this point could open a whole new feud between her and her friends. For now, the swimmer decided to stay silent and hope that a positive answer could ease her nerves.

Littlefoot could see that something still bothered Ducky greatly but the starting vote captivated his interest more profoundly. No matter how much he would have wanted to help Ducky, the longneck could understand that this wasn't a place for that discussion. Littlefoot gulped nervously as he heard his grandmother continue from her mate's remark.

"Hollowhorns may be the first ones to speak. Just stay calm whatever you decide." The elderly longneck exchanged worried glances with her mate as they thought about the results. No matter what came to pass, one kind of crisis would be brewing in the Valley. The hollowhorns stepped forward and one of them spoke briefly. Their stance was no surprise as they had often aligned with the more isolationist herds in the Valley.

"We vote against them staying." The answers had to be brief in order not to influence the other herds' opinions. The hollowhorn sounded firm and unhesitating as he gave his answer. Petrie looked at him in anger. This wasn't a good start at all to the vote, even if the hollwhorns' vote went as expected. Next in line would be the swimmers whose stance was as similarly expected.

"We think the two should be able to stay here. We vote for them." Ura, Ducky's mother, said in an unsure but decisive voice. Each of the herds weighed the first two herds' decisions but the gathering stayed somewhat calm. In the following minutes, the votes went mostly as expected: the longnecks voting in favor and the domeheads against the two staying. What really surprised most of the assembled dinosaurs was the fact that the fliers actually voted yes as most of the assembled dinosaurs had expected their internal disputes force them to pass their vote. This brought slight murmurs in the circle but each of them knew fighting during the voting process wouldn't help. Petrie looked in deep surprise to his relatives who seemed surprisingly calm about their decision.

 _Thank you momma and cousins! Petrie never forget this. Oh, perhaps we win after all!_

The next one to vote were the clubtails and their stance was what everybody had expected. The female's voice dipped with cold hatred as she announced her stance but, to everyone's relief, she withstood from further attacks. However, as Mr. Threehorn stepped forward after them, everybody's eyes turned towards him. It had been expected that he'd stand to his ideals and he'd cast the vote against Ruby and Chomper without hesitation but his apparent indecision had made the others wonder his true stance.

The threehorn had usually strived to a consistent, decisive appearance in these gatherings. He had often been seen as the longnecks' counterpart and the natural leader for the more traditional forces in the Valley. He had many allies in the other herds and he knew letting them down even once would permanently hurt his image among them. The dinosaur shook his head in an effort to clear out his thoughts. Even if he knew defending the two would be far from reasonable in his position, he couldn't deny Cera's points about her friends. The threehorn had once stood against them but none of his fears had been realized. They had never been rude, manipulative or murderous as he had once argued. Even the last night's incident was slowly starting to confuse him as so many things started point in the duo's innocence. The threehorn gathered all his courage and regaining his usual, authoritative pose.

"I've given this much thought and I've finally arrived at a conclusion. The threehorns vote for the two staying." A total chaos erupted in a moment as the aging dinosaur's usual allies started to cry in disbelief. One of the most probable herds to vote against letting the two back into the Valley had completely reverted to the opposite side, in effect settling the issue once and for all.

* * *

Cera couldn't believe her ears. Even after all her defense for her friends, she had never dreamt of her father actually voting for them. She jumped in joy and would have wanted to immediately run to her dad and nuzzle him in deep appreciation. However, she could see that the situation was too instable for that. In its stead she spoke happily to her friends.

"Did you hear that? I don't know how I can ever thank my dad for this! Sometimes I doubt it but at least he listens to me when I really want him to." Cera took the widest smile she had had in a while as she turned to her friends. Littlefoot also had similarly stunned expression and all of the five would have wanted to embrace at that moment. It was becoming clear that their mission had been successful after all.

"I don't say this often but I'm really happy for your dad, Cera. Good job for talking to him. You know what this means? Ruby and Chomper are going to stay with us!" The five tried to close the chorus of curses and threats from their minds as they contemplated on their apparent victory. Even Ducky forgot her siblings for a moment and joined in her friends' jubilation.

* * *

On the other side of the circle reigned similar disbelief. The clubtails couldn't belief the threehorns had turned their backs on their tragedy and instead given in to Cera's manipulation. Without their support, it was all but certain that the two killers would be allowed into the Valley. Both adult clubtails stood still for many seconds, the outrage of the moment growing by the minute in their minds.

The female locked her eyes on Ruby who was standing near the gathering rock, preparing to join her friends in their celebration. Here the manipulative murderer would be able to join the Valley and receive a full pardon for her deeds while her own unborn child would never take his or her first breath, never play, never feel. And all of that because of the fast runner's lies and the threehorns' betrayal. In her highly critical mental state, the clubtail knew exactly what she would have to do. Even if she could no longer help her poor child, she could at least ensure that the fast runner's manipulative lies would never again deceive the Valley or anyone in it.

What happened in the next seconds was a complex flurry of different, quick actions that none taking part of it could make sense of. The massive clubtail locked her eyes on Ruby and prepared to charge on her. The fast runner was on the way to joining her friends after the miraculous victory. She and Chomper could hardly contain their joy and gratefulness as they begun to digest the news.

 _I cannot believe there was this much trust in us left in here! Maybe I was wrong about the Valley, wrong I was!_

Ruby had decided early on that Volant's initial decision would be the Valley's consensus but she had been proven wrong. Maybe most of the dinosaurs had actually seen the two as their equals? The mere thought of that possibility brought a great smile to her face. She and Chomper were on their way to thank and celebrate with their friends when the two heard loud steps and a maddened cry behind them.

"This is for my child, murderers! You will never again hurt another innocent hatchling, I'll make sure of that that!" The clubtail approached with immense speed and Ruby was momentarily frozen at the sight of the larger dinosaur's murderous glare and quickly approaching form. Chomper's mind seemed to grow blurred as the massive leafeater threatened his friend's life. The sharptooth had to act quickly if he wished to save his beloved caretaker. Far too fast for his conscious mind to react, in fact. For the first time in his short life, Chomper's instincts took the full control of his actions, doing something that had been unthinkable for the young carnivore for many Cold Times and something he would regret for the rest of his life.

The blue sharptooth ran towards the clubtail who seemed to ignore him largely. Chomper's pupils enlarged to an unseen degree and his movements told that the friendly sharptooth was no longer in control. On instinct, prompted by his wish to save his friend, Chomper jumped on the clubtail's neck, his teeth tearing their way into the larger dinosaur's soft flesh. The clubtail screamed in pain and twitched heavily but her mind was still fixed on Ruby and to ending her disgusting existence in this world. Getting rid of Chomper would have required letting Ruby escape and that wasn't something she was going to do. A part of Chomper's mind screamed in panic at what he was doing but the predator's mind reminded him that this was the only way to save Ruby. The fast runner had started her escape but a mere youngling of her kind couldn't outrun many adult dinosaurs.

Chomper's claws dug ever deeper to the clubtail's neck, dying the young sharptooth completely in blood. Soon, the female's pace started to drop and, not much later, she collapsed to the ground, her mind darkening quickly. The large dinosaur's eyes were still fixed on the fleeing fast runner who had just realized what had transpired behind her. Only a single thought rang in her mind as consciousness fled her fleeting mind.

 _You won't live long, monsters! You won't leave this Valley alive! I'm sorry my child, for failing you again…_

The time seemed to freeze in the Valley at that moment. No one seemed to take another breath as the badly injured clubtail collapsed to the ground, her breath increasingly weak, and the blood-covered sharptooth rising to his feet from the ground. Chomper's thoughts were still highly overshadowed by adrenaline but it started to wear off slowly. He didn't have any idea what had happened initially and the first thing that accompanied his clearing mind was a chest-crushing horror. Was the seriously-injured clubtail truly his handiwork?

Not once in his life had his instincts taken full control of him. Even during his hunts with his parents, his actions were well-thought out and he had never done any more harm to others than he had needed to. Now, however, he had lost himself to the bloodthirst that was the constant companion of any sharpteeth. Even worse, that had been targeted against a denizen of the Valley, her lifeblood slowly painting the ground around her red. Chomper's chest rose and fell ever quicker as he realized what he had done. In a matter of seconds, his whole mind turned into a flux of horror and fear as the other dinosaurs around him started to realize what had just transpired before their eyes. No questions remained unanswered or unclear. No matter his motive, Chomper had attacked a resident of the Valley with an intent to kill.

Ruby would have wanted to cry right there. The feeling was a mixture of sorrow at the final failure of the duo's efforts to gain the trust of the Valley but also about the depth of love Chomper had for her to do such a thing for the fast runner. If it weren't for the sharptooth, Ruby's body would most likely lie broken on the ground right now, as unmoving as the bleeding clubtail. The thought humbled her greatly but there was no time to dwell in such thoughts. In a few moments, all hell would break loose when some of the adults would want to exact their judgement. With a herculean force of will, Ruby run towards Chomper in an effort to get him to safety.

* * *

Littlefoot's dominating feeling was that of horror. He had seen the handiwork of a sharptooth before far too close to remain unmoved by the brutal display. Ever since the sharptooth's birth, Littlefoot had cared for Chomper as if the carnivore was his younger brother, he had looked after Chomper in his earliest hours, stood up to him when all others would have doomed to him to death or starvation. This was the same sharptooth whom he had told his heartfelt farewells during his original departure from the Valley and whom the longneck had saved from drowning in the island. They had saved each other's lives many times and Littlefoot had always seen their bond as a special one. Tears formed in Littlefoot's eyes as he went through the young sharptooth's hatching, his efforts to care for him and all the times they had shared in the island and the Valley. Seeing the sharptooth show his primal side like this broke the longneck's spirit for a moment but he had always decided to stand to his friends. He had to defend his old ideals to force him to get over this most dangerous and horrifying of situations.

"Let's go! We have to get them to safety!" The four other dinosaurs followed quickly, their lines of thought highly similar to the longnecks. They looked in horror as the surrounding herds started to slowly awaken into the new reality. No matter his motives, Chomper's unexpected attack had ended all chances of a reconciliation with the Valley.

"Crush the killer! We mustn't let the sharptooth escape!" One of the domeheads screamed. Many of their herds as well as the fallen clubtail's mate started to charge towards poor Chomper who heard a familiar voice speak to him.

"Come on, Chomper! Let's get to the Secret Caverns while we still can!" The longneck's voice sounded distant to Chomper but he complied with his friend's command. The young carnivore's eyes started to brawl as he turned his back on the bloody scene and started to run quickly towards the Caverns and rescue. The chasers initially held back a bit, unsure what to do with the five leafeater children. After a moment, the clubtail called in deep fury.

"Get lost, kids! You saw what they did and if you still defend them, you're just as guilty!" It was apparent that the adult dinosaur was serious but Petrie's call spoke for all of his friends along with the flier himself.

"You leave Ruby And Chomper alone! We will not let you hurt our friends!" The flier spoke quickly as the group drew closer to the sight of the cave on a high ledge forward. The clubtail gritted his teeth but didn't answer. Each of the chasers knew that the die had been cast and no mercy would be given. Whoever defended a killer of a Valley resident deserved no mercy. Chomper felt streams of tears fall out of his eyes as he moved quickly forward. This chase was purely and fully his fault and because of him, all of his friends' efforts had been wasted. The blue sharptooth would have willingly turned around and sacrificed himself if it had helped the others.

The domeheads and clubtails gained on the children quickly, their escape growing ever more improbable by the minute. However, a sudden and unthinkable development changed all that as Grandpa Longneck who was often seen as frail and weak, ran in front of the chasers and spoke in a thundering voice.

"You won't threaten my grandson no matter what his friends have done! Back down!" The longneck knew his deed wouldn't go unpunished but that was a prize he was willing to pay. No matter what, the last memory of her daughter, his beloved grandson wouldn't be chased by the other dinosaurs, no matter what Chomper had done.

"Move along, longneck! You know what is at stake here!" The domeheads growled as the longneck stood defiantly before them. The smaller dinosaurs knew they wouldn't get past him quickly enough and they would be overpowered by mere brute strength. Even then, the longneck wouldn't be able to block them all. They started to spread out to and the older dinosaur was able to stop and hinder only a few them.

* * *

The younger longneck looked in fear and admiration as his grandfather bought him and his friends the time to escape. He would have wanted nothing more than to turn around and stood by his side but Littlefoot knew that was out of the question. The younger longneck could only hope that the high status his grandfather enjoyed in the Valley could get him out of the dangerous situation. Tears started to form in the young longneck's eyes as he thought about the crisis they had managed to create in the Valley.

 _Be well, Grandpa. Please stay here until we return. We… we'll back soon, you'll see!_

Littlefoot couldn't even begin to think about all the good things his grandparents had provided him with during their time together. He felt miserable for being forced to leave them like this but it couldn't be helped anymore. The seven friends had gained enough distance between the two and the chasers because of his grandfather. The young dinosaurs rose quickly on the ledge that would lead to the Secret Caverns and by the way of the Cave of Many Voices, into the Mysterious Beyond.

Ruby looked at the scene below them as the clubtails and the domeheads started to realize that they were too late. Different dinosaurs were surrounding the old longneck and even if it was clear he wasn't being physically threatened, he wouldn't get out of this with mere apologizing. Ruby felt a deep guilt in her chest when she thought about all the mess and sorrow she and Chomper had caused. She was simultaneously grateful and fearful for the young sharptooth. It wasn't up to any doubting that he had saved her life and she was more than moved that he cared so deeply for her. Chomper had never shown that side of himself before and the fast runner was more than humbled by his instant reaction in saving her life.

However, Ruby knew that Chomper hadn't done so knowingly. The fact that Chomper wasn't always in charge of his own actions was a reason for deep concern. The fast runners knew a whole lot about the sharpteeth and impulsive, violent outbursts were never a good thing. They would make them unpredictable and possibly dangerous to be close to. But this wasn't the time to bring up any more bad news. For now, they were safe but forced to flee from the Valley again, this time most likely for good. The seven friends looked at each other, only guessing what was going on in the others' mind as they headed towards the Cave of Many voices. There would be many reprisals in the near future, ones that none of them could have foreseen half an hour earlier. Today had been a complete disaster for everyone involved: they could only hope that no one would have to pay for it with their lives.

* * *

 **Well, this chapter turned out be longer than the previous ones but I hope I managed to justify the extensive length. Quite a bit of developments happened here and the Gang's relationship with the Valley will never be the same again. Will they manage to get their friends to safety and what will happen to themselves once the immediate repercussions of this meeting will start to clear? Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you think about it! :)**

 **AllegroGiocoso: I'm happy you found my description of Petrie's thoughts successful and the conversations in the fourth chapter interesting overall. Yeah, the flier cannot help but feel that he should have done more but at least his help will be instrumental in helping the Gang in the search. Those small moments of reminding of the yellow bellies or Spike's eating habits are something I like to do because of the better continuity and it ties this story better into the series. Anyway, thank you for your kind words about that chapter!**


	9. The Last Night Together

**The Last Night Together**

Littlefoot had seldom felt as miserable as he did now. The longneck would have wanted more to turn around and go help his Grandfather through his horrifying ordeal but the younger longneck knew there was nothing he could do to help him. Not anymore. Right now, he was a despised friend of a murderer, no matter how unappetizing that thought was to him. Littlefoot didn't even want to think about the full implications the ended meeting would have on the Valley but his own responsibilities were on his friends, at least for the moment. He turned around and spoke to them softly and sadly.

"Are you guys alright? None of us wants to do this but we must go now! The domeheads and clubtails aren't going to give us much time!" The longneck spoke in an alerted voice, already knowing each of his friends' answer to his comment. It took a long moment until anyone spoke and the words, though expected, that greeted the longneck's ears brought a heavy burden on his heart.

"It's all my fault! If I hadn't… done it everything would be fine! Just… leave me here. I don't belong with you anymore." Chomper said in shock, his words prompting many worried looks among his friends. The sharptooth could only see the image of the bloody clubtail before him and his eyes were fixed on his still-crimson claws that had drawn the other dinosaur's precious lifeblood. It was not a new sight for him but this time he had endangered his friends with his deed and his kill wasn't intended. Such a reaction was to be expected but, as Littlefoot had said, there wasn't time to talk about it right now. The awkward, saddened silence was broken by a quick, silent remark from Ruby.

"Chomper, you did the right thing! Trust me, we can talk about this later and you mustn't blame yourself now! We will talk of this later but right now we must be on our way immediately! Do you understand?" Ruby asked carefully from the sharptooth as she knelt to the same height as her younger friend. Chomper felt his chest sink the more he thought about it but even in his current state, he could also tell that time was of the essence. The sharptooth nodded weakly and the others shared a nervous sigh of relief. Cera spoke quickly as the threehorn started to head deeper into the Caverns.

"We have to get that giant stone out from the way if we wish to get out! Come, on, we have to come up with some kind of idea on how to do it!" Cera realized the downside of getting the boulder out of the way but it couldn't be helped. That was the friends' only chance to escape from the maze of these dark tunnels. Everyone remembered the way to the opening and it was mere minutes until they stood in front of the giant boulder. It stood on the same spot where it had landed after their escape from Red Claw on that faraway day, blocking the exit into the Mysterious Beyond. Small flashes of the late afternoon light simmered from the edges of the massive rock, teasing the dinosaurs with the knowledge of what lied beyond this great stone. Petrie inspected it for a moment, his gift to flight giving him the better perspective of the object's position.

"It seem like the walls not keeping the stone still so well! If we make the hole a bit bigger, the boulder will roll away!" The flier called in a slightly relieved voice. The walls had severe cracks in them so there was a chance that they could be broken with a sufficient push. However, Ducky voiced her concerns about the whole idea.

"But… if we open this, the sharpteeth can get into the Valley! We don't want that, nope, nope, nope!" The swimmer's earlier rage had turned into fear lately and her words earned a swift rebuke from Cera. Even with all the distrust she had had towards Chomper during the early days of his time in the Valley, and even the fear that she now felt rising towards the bloodied sharptooth, the clubtail's attack had made her bitter more than anything else.

"Then it is the clubtail's fault! No one made her attack us! We had already won before she decided to kill Ruby! We don't have another way to escape so that is their problem!" Cera knew that she spoke only partially her mind, knowing that most of the Valley residents had affirmed their trust to the seven friends. Still, Cera's confidence had been hurt by this sudden attack and she felt no immediate problem with the plan. Littlefoot also understood the necessity of swift escape but a part of him questioned his and his friends' motives. Their return to the Valley had destroyed the authority their parents held in the Valley, took a grieving mother's life and now they were about to knowingly sabotage the Valley's defenses. Even then, the longneck knew it couldn't be helped at this point. Ruby and Chomper's lives were still threatened and the best way to ensure their escape from the herds' vengeance was to escape here and now. No matter about his misgivings about the thought right now, the longneck realized his love for his friends exceeded his responsibility to the Valley. Littlefoot looked at Ruby and especially Chomper in a mournful look and thought to himself.

 _I'm sorry for all this Chomper but we will continue to defend you. I just hope you can get yourself to move on._

"Cera, take the other side, me and Spike will push here!" Littlefoot said to Cera, because he had learned during his Cold Times that Cera was twice as powerful as he and Spike. The threehorn nodded eagerly and headed towards the other side. Littlefoot waited for a moment before he called with a louder voice.

"Ready! Let's push when I count to three!" The two other dinosaurs waited for Littlefoot's call and when they heard him say three, they pushed with all their might. For a moment, they thought that the weak sides of the rocks could hold against their struggle but they soon felt the wall give in slightly and make the huge boulder tremble before it rolled through the enlarged opening. Some reserved calls of cheer were heard as the seven dinosaurs noticed their escape path was clear. Only one question was unclear at this point: where should the group head next? This unpleasant but necessary question was first asked by Petrie.

"It great to see that we succeed but… where next? The Hanging Rock empty and we cannot go back to the Valley!" The flier tried to sound calm and reasonable in the face of all that had happened. His thoughts were a total flux and he understood the severity of the danger their friends were in. However, despite Chomper's horrifying deed, he felt somewhat encouraged by the unwavering trust his friends had put on each other even at this terrible moment. Even Cera had cast aside all of her doubts and had immediately accepted her trust in her friends, even Chomper. Littlefoot looked at the flier in a hesitant look and answered shortly.

"Well, we should eventually be able to return to the Valley if we're lucky… but I doubt Ruby and Chomper will get another chance. I… I think they have no chance but to return home." Littlefoot fought down a sniff as the true implications of the events started to dawn upon him. No matter how he wished otherwise, he and his friends were just children who would never be able to live on their own just yet. If they tried to survive by themselves in the Mysterious Beyond, they wouldn't last long and, as he had learned during his time in Chomper's old island, homesickness was a terrifying disease they couldn't fight forever. The longneck turned his gaze on the two who looked to the ground in sorrow. Ruby was the first to answer as Chomper was too grief-stricken to even think of an answer.

"We were prepared to do it before you found us again. I… I guess it's really our time to go now. I'm sorry that it had to end this way, Littlefoot, really sorry I am." Tears fell from Ruby's eyes as she spoke. Chomper's sobs grew more severe as he struggled to answer. Even in the case it weren't his own fault, this was a moment the young sharptooth had feared for a long time. Chomper was back then too young to remember it but Littlefoot had once bid him his supposed final farewell and the longneck had told about his fears for their next separation which would likely be their last one. That, combined with his own bloody deed, nearly broke Chomper's whole mind as he barely managed to keep an eye contact with Littlefoot.

"I never wanted you to see this, Littlefoot! I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you! Now… now I'll forever be a murderer for the Valley. I should have left long ago before any of this happened!" Chomper reflected on the endless days of happiness, days when he had thought that everything had been alright, when he thought he could keep his primal nature in check. Even if he would have never admitted it to himself, he had often felt the urge to attack a lonely, wandering child or stalk a deceased member of the Valley but back then, he had managed to keep the calm façade. But today, he had crossed that line when he was no longer able to control his own actions. Littlefoot felt sick hearing those words and he had to fight back a sob himself when he answered.

"It should have never come to this. I'm not going to lie, Chomper, I won't forget this day and what you did. However, I won't forget any other day we spent together either. No matter what you do now or in the future, you'll always be our friend." Littlefoot moved mournfully forward and nuzzled the young sharptooth in a comforting manner, regretting deeply that their times together were coming to an end shortly and in this morbid manner. The others smiled carefully at Chomper who felt a great warmth and shame at his friends' display of loyalty. He had never thought they would accept him after his deed this readily. To Chomper's surprise, it was Cera who spoke next.

"We should find your parents as soon as we can! They're the only ones you'll be safe with at this point." The threehorn said as she thought about the future. The Valley was closed to the duo, Ruby's parents were nowhere to be seen so the two sharpteeth would be their best to search out. Cera surprised even herself at how she was acting: even with all her old doubts, the whole drama of the past day had happened in such a crude manner he just couldn't blame Chomper for it. Ruby spoke in a hesitant voice as she pondered Cera's comment.

"Hmm… we don't really know where they are so finding them will be almost impossible! They never told it to my mommy and daddy so I have no idea where to go!" Ruby concluded in a desperate note. The direction would be vague but that was all the dinosaurs had at this point. Littlefoot cringed at Ruby's words but he then spoke softly to Chomper.

"Anyway, we'll try to seek out your parents, Chomper. You'll be home before you know it!" Littlefoot tried to put on a happy face but even it died under the weight of the situation. Chomper would have wanted to let out a rant of objections but he was too beaten and unsure at this point to do anything but nod slightly. The others exchanged worried glances before the longneck spoke the final words of the conversation.

"Alright, guys. We have to get far from the Valley. Let's try to move in the dark and escape the fliers' gaze. I trust Petrie's mom but some of the fliers may be on the clubtails' side. Let's try to get away without being seen. At least none of the others know about this opening." Littlefoot said as he stepped into the darkening night. He was exhausted by the day's events and it was dangerous to enter the Beyond in that state because of sharpteeth. However, there wasn't much of a choice at this point. They would simply have to move silently and unseen.

* * *

The extreme stress and fatigue made the eerie images of the shadows even more menacing in the minds of the young dinosaurs. The looming cliffs overlooking the wide canyon casted their long shades in the darkening distance, turning into looming giants to an occasional traveler. Petrie flew low over his friends in order to scout for any danger in the dark landscape while also keeping an eye on any other fliers who were likely to be searching for the seven friends. Petrie felt terrible for being forced to hide from his own family but the flier didn't even dare to think about what was going in his home. Was his mother being accused of the attack and how had the other fliers reacted to the situation? And how about Cera's father and Littlefoot's grandfather? Petrie gritted his teeth in order to prevent himself from flying back into the Valley to check if his mother was alright. Even then, he knew it would be a terrible idea and it would likely cause additional problems to his friends and himself. Petrie forced himself to turn his attention back into the current journey.

Petrie looked at his friends walking below him with some concern. He listened to every small echo of the wind's whistling as he tried to identify any small hint of a sharptooth's presence. However, he could hear nothing even if every changing of the wind's direction and whistling brought chills creeping on his spine. The night was finally falling and with it the threat of the sharpteeth was growing tremendously. The whole situation made Petrie's head hurt as he tried to keep his attention focused on investigating the horizon and to keep his own fears about this apparent last journey with all his friends in check.

The entire scene felt surreal beyond measure. Here, he was on a journey taking Chomper back to his parents after a defensive kill and hiding from his own family in fear of their attack. The whole thought was something Petrie had a hard time accepting but, like his friends, he knew that this was the best way to move on. The flier often looked at Chomper in concern and there was little improvement in his mood. It was clear that the young sharptooth would need further encouragement later if he ever wished to overcome this most difficult of times.

* * *

The next few hours passed slowly as the seven friends headed towards the way that would lead to the north where the sharpteeth were most likely to live. As a hindrance on their journey, they would have to take a turn to the west to find a way to bypass their home comfortably. The walls of the Great Valley had long since vanished behind the horizon and the looming cliffs were giving way to a wider plain when Cera suddenly spoke in a sleepy voice.

"We're far enough from the Valley, Littlefoot. I cannot take another step." The threehorn said to the longneck who was about to insist on continuing but he could feel his own legs also begging for rest. Also, the rocky mountainside was a safer place to spend the night than the open plain. To be honest, Littlefoot had a hard time to keep his eyes open when he turned to his friends.

"All… alright, everyone. I think it's we rest a while." The longneck looked at his six friends who were happily setting themselves to a comfortable position when Ducky spoke shortly.

"I could sleep for days, I could… At least tomorrow can't be any worse…" Mutters of approval could be heard among the others as the swimmer fell to sleep almost immediately. Chomper felt a conflict within himself as his internal horror battled with the rising fatigue. The latter was swiftly winning when she heard Ruby speak to him in a comforting, soft voice. The fast runner looked at the sharptooth with unreadable expression. She knew Chomper was extremely angry with himself and Ruby knew she had to be extremely sensitive if she wished the sharptooth to listen to her.

"I haven't thanked you yet, Chomper. You saved my life back there, my life you did save! Thank you for it!" Ruby tried to sound cheerful and she succeeded to a certain degree. Still, it did little to improve Chomper's mood as the sharptooth turned to look at his caretaker in an almost bitter look.

"There's nothing to thank me for, Ruby. I didn't do anything myself except lose my mind and become a mindless killer. I didn't mean to save you Ruby… I just looked at the clubtail and suddenly found myself covered in her blood. I couldn't contain myself and I did nothing I could ever be proud of. I just proved… that I'm another sharptooth ready to kill anyone in my way without thinking." A tear dropped to Chomper's legs as Ruby thought about the sharptooth's answer. She could understand Chomper's sentiment but he knew even less about the sharpteeth and the fast runner had thought. Even after all that had happened, Ruby wished to give Chomper one more lesson today.

"Chomper… it's not what you think. Many sharpteeth kill on pure instinct and some even lose their real selves to their hunger, becoming mere bloodthirsty hunters. It is a real fear for you but what you did today was by no means wrong. After all, I wouldn't be here talking to you about this if you hadn't acted! You may not have meant it but you decided which one you wanted to save today. I, too, feel great sadness at what happened to the clubtail. If we had stayed strong and declined to return, she would be alive. Do not understand this wrong but today was a reminder about what you really are." Ruby spoke the last words in a vague manner which Chomper's distressed mind immediately turned into either an insult or a condemnation. He was about to answer when Ruby continued to speak absentmindedly. She looked into the distance, following a few ground fuzzies on their nightly adventure.

"You are a sharptooth and with it comes the urges that sometimes can make you feel like you're torn apart. You did well today but, please, for your own sake, you must learn to control your mind, Chomper. Today was a sign that you have to move on in your life but it doesn't mean that it's an eternal separation for us two. I'm afraid your reunions with the others will become scarce but it doesn't have to be so for us. We can find ways to work together far into the future as my family has done with yours." Ruby turned to look at Chomper whose gaze turned into an ever more conflicted one.

"Even now I fear about the next time I lose control of myself. Who's the next to die because of me? You? Littlefoot? It doesn't work that way, Ruby. I have to go now. We sharpteeth have to live only among ourselves." Chomper said in deep despair as he thought about his panicked thoughts. Before his eyes lied the sight of crushed bodies of his friends and their parents, the surrounding dry land's desolate winds serving as his only companion. Everything he had loved was gone and nothing of worth came to its place in his horrified visions. Ruby could see that this conversation was a much more difficult one than the last she had shared with Chomper.

"For now, that won't happen unless you face a quick, surprising choice unless you let those instincts to flow unchecked in your head. My parents have met good and bad sharpteeth, ones who live only by their lower drives and ones who still have a lot more to defend than their own stomach. This won't be easy on any of us but we must do it, do it we must! Otherwise… things will get real bad." Ruby tried to sound calm and kind but a certain amount of hesitation and concern was apparent in her voice. Chomper looked at the ground, his tears still falling at a steady pace. When he answered, his voice was low and lost.

"I don't if I'll be able to do this or if I even deserve it. I really don't know, Ruby. Of course you're right and I'd like nothing more to save what I can. It's like… it's like I don't even know where to begin. I thought I at least knew who I was but now, I have no idea." Chomper spluttered in an unclear voice. He slowly turned to look at Ruby but to his chagrin, Ruby didn't seem like she could provide him with clear answers. It was getting clear that he would have to learn this hardest of lessons himself.

"I can only repeat what my parents told me but they know a whole of things. I know your mommy and daddy will help you also when you meet them again. You do trust in them, don't you? Ruby tried to reason as Chomper seemed to be deep in thought. After a moment of hesitation, he answered.

"I… I guess. They care for me but they don't seem to understand my feelings. Nobody except you guys do." Chomper tried to calm down and accept Ruby's advice but to his surprise, Ruby once again shook her head.

"We don't, Chomper. I have thought about the life of a sharptooth here and then but I can always escape that fate. As for the others, these things are even harder to understand for a leaf eaters. Littlefoot and Cera have seen too much to be able to fully accept the things you're going through but they will help you nonetheless. And if they help you, you don't have to be alone, Chomper." Ruby said as she started to yawn audibly. She would listen if Chomper had something to say but the fast runner hoped her words gave Chomper something to think about. Even then, Ruby could tell that it was time to go to sleep. Chomper noticed his friend's weariness and he started to yawn himself.

"Thank you for your words, Ruby. Maybe things will seem clearer tomorrow." Chomper said silently. His mood hadn't improved greatly but Ruby's words had calmed his nerves somewhat. He still had a lot to learn but at least some of his worst fears were now addressed. Chomper smiled to her friend when she prepared to go to sleep.

"They often do. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day than this." The two dinosaurs fell asleep quickly as the shroud of fatigue quickly overwhelmed them. The pale moon overlooked the dry landscape as a few insects buzzled on their nightly journeys. Otherwise the land was completely still with no major clouds in sight to cover the bright night sky. Little did the friends know that the next day would be as remarkable as the fading one.

* * *

The morning that dawned hours later was in clear contrast to the preceding night. The clear skies were slowly being swallowed by flying sand and the wind was rising. On the positive side, the temperature would be much more comfortable today than it had been in the late days, even to a degree that Petrie awoke to a cold breath of wind. The flier had slept dreamlessly due to the previous day's fatigue and he was surprised to see feel the cool wind blow over the same desolate plain that had been burningly hot on the day before.

Petrie looked around himself and noticed that most of his friends were still sleeping. However, the flier could see that the morning was far enough for them to be starting to wake up soon. Petrie could see especially Ducky moving in her sleep, signaling that the swimmer's cloud of unconsciousness was slowly starting to drift away. Even in this situation, he could feel a certain sting of confusion and chagrin as the flier looked at his friend. This would be a good time to try to make amends with the distressed swimmer and to ease the overall tense atmosphere among his friends. Petrie flew beside Ducky and spoke in a careful voice, repeating the swimmer's name many times before she finally registered his presence.

"Wha… what is it, Petrie? We are still trying to sleep!" Ducky's voice was still somewhat grumpy even in her half-sleeping state. Petrie cringed as he heard his friend's answer. _Gee, this isn't looking too good!_

"Petrie would like to get over our fight, Ducky! Come on!" The flier waved Ducky to follow him a bit further from the others in order to keep the matter just between them. The swimmer looked at Petrie for a moment and pondered heavily weather to accept her friend's proposal. She wasn't sure of her own mental state but she wanted to try to make things good again with the flier whom Ducky had often considered her closest friend besides Spike. The disagreement with him hadn't helped her own mood any. With a hesitating voice, Ducky gave her answer.

"It's just that… I'll tell it to you, Petrie." Ducky said as she started to follow the flier. When the two were a good distance from the others, Ducky started to speak in a sad voice.

"It's my brothers and sisters. They have made my and Spike's lives miserable. In each and every situation they pick on us, waiting to say things that are meaner than their last words! I can't stand it anymore!" Ducky kicked at the ground as she spoke. It was clear that the situation was getting the better of her nerves. Most others would have just settled to encourage Ducky but Petrie wasn't always the most affectionate among the most group. He answered in an almost normal voice, something that didn't sit well with Ducky.

"Me siblings also did that on me often! Petrie hate it but they nicer after the Great Day! They saw what Petrie can do and they no longer mean! Petrie sure…" The flier was suddenly stopped by Ducky who looked at her friend in disappointment. The swimmer could see that Petrie meant well but comparisons between him and herself didn't suit her at this moment.

"You were bullied because of the Day and… because of some of… the things you do! My brothers and sisters only started this a few weeks ago and this is much worse than what you went through!" Ducky spoke without thinking about her words through. She didn't know the struggle Petrie had gone through but she suspected it couldn't possibly be worse than her own ordeal. Petrie decided to keep things peaceful and gave in to Ducky's bitter words somewhat.

"Petrie know no what they say but it no our fault! But perhaps… perhaps they calm down once we come back? It take us many days for us to return and they could be nicer by then!" Petrie offered, disappointed by how things were developing in the discussion. No matter what, after all that had happened, the flier wanted nothing more than peace to be preserved at among his friends and the desperate atmosphere to be at least partially eased. Also, he really wished to make peace with the swimmer but that wasn't getting any easier.

"Or they might not, even if we can return to the Valley ever again! You cannot be sure about it, Petrie, no no no! Things could get bad in the Valley and there's nothing we can do to help our parents! This is real bad, Petrie, and wishful thinking doesn't make it any better!" Ducky wished this discussion ended as soon as possible. Even if she felt somewhat relieved for this time away from her family, the pain they had caused in her was still apparent. Even if she knew that Petrie was only trying to be friendly to her, his attempts were somewhat misguided in their effectiveness. Even if she knew it deep in her mind, she declined to accept that there was no one among her friends who knew about this issue more than the flier. However, it was becoming apparent that Petrie's patience was slowly starting to wear out.

"We no know that! The Bright Circle helped us many times before even if we no see it! Sometimes things get better if we just wish them to!" Petrie said as he tried to come up with something that could cheer the swimmer somewhat and to see that things didn't have to get that dark. Petrie had often wished to think that the Bright Circle, along with other unknowns of the world, were helping him and his friends during dangerous times as fliers often did. However, they were often left alone in this belief as many other herds upheld these customs for mere nostalgic reasons as was often manifested in the Valley's common celebrations. To Petrie's chagrin, Ducky wasn't too receptive at this moment.

"The Bright Circle doesn't make our journey or my family any better. It's just as Cera said, Petrie. It just is there and that's it. It couldn't care less about our problems down here." Ducky said dismissingly, slowly starting to ponder whether it would be time to start waking up the others. However, her thoughts were cut off by Petrie who looked at her in a piqued expression.

"It just might! No matter what you think, me believe we would have never found the Night Flowers or Spike if Bright Circle hadn't guided us in our journeys! We have often been too lucky for that!" Petrie said resolutely, willing to make Ducky admit her faults. However, the swimmer just looked at the flier and spoke in an arrogant voice.

"As good luck as when the great Earthshake almost took us away into the Big Underground or when Littlefoot's Grandpa was almost dying? We have seen many good things but also many bad things, we have! But we should get moving, it is getting rather late already." Ducky begun to move away, leaving Petrie standing there with an angry look. He couldn't believe that this was the same Ducky with whom he had shared so many good times. The flier quickly flew after her and said in clear agitation.

"That not nice at all, Ducky! You cannot act like this if we are going on this journey! We have to end this now!" Petrie said to Ducky in a louder voice, finally breaking Ducky's nerves in this situation. She shouted as he spoke back to the flier.

"I don't care about that! I just wish to be at peace without someone flying behind me yelling about the Bright Circle! I feel miserable enough without all that!" Ducky finally revealed the depth of her own frustrations and Petrie was immediately taken aback by this outburst. However, he wasn't willing to listen these insults and answered in kind.

"And I don't want to journey with someone who just sulks and shouts at everyone! You mustn't act like this!"

"Then go away! It isn't nice to hear your whining either! If you can't stand me, then stay away!" Ducky cried disgusted by her own behavior and Petrie's antics simultaneously but she couldn't fight against her inner frustrations. Petrie decided to answer with the next insult.

"Then me almost hope you weren't here at all! Nothing be better company than you right now!" Petrie would have wanted to cry at this fight but he wasn't willing to back away from this or Ducky would get the wrong message about their situation. Luckily for the two, their feud would soon be settled by one of their friends.

* * *

Cera had slept dreamlessly as the threehorn was slowly starting to drift in her sleep. She was slowly starting to wake up when something caught her attention in her half-sleeping state. It sounded far away but she knew even then that something was wrong. _Petrie? Ducky? Arguing? What is going on!?_

The threehorn quickly rose to her feet and quickly saw the cause of the noise. The two were in bitter argument not far away from the others, a few dozen meters under another cliff. Cera quickly realized that she needed to do something and quickly ran towards the swimmer and the flier, determined to end the argument immediately.

"Stop! What is the big idea here?" Cera said resolutely as she approached the two. She took on a stern expression to force the two to cease their fight immediately. Ducky was the first to answer.

"He's trying to preach things I don't care about and annoys me with his whining!

"She just attack anyone who try to be friendly! She cannot go on like this!

"Silence! I really don't care what this is about but I'm not going to listen to this any longer! We have a long journey ahead of us and I'm not going to let you deepen our problems! Or do you think Ruby and Chomper wishes to listen to it during our last journey together! Do you?" Cera's eyes seemed to penetrate both of the friends and immediately brought great shame to both of them. Both of their woes were trivial when compared to what the two were going through.

"Petrie sorry, Cera. You right." Petrie muttered under his breath, trying to calm himself down. Ducky answered quickly after the flier.

"Me too. This isn't how I'd like things to go, no, no, no." Ducky looked to the ground with Petrie as neither of them wished to answer to Cera's stare. The threehorn snorted and spoke in a softer voice while still maintaining her decisiveness.

"It sure isn't, Ducky. You have to get over this yourselves as we always have done. Too many things are going on right now for this. But whatever you do, I don't want to hear these fight again! Is that clear?" Cera took on a more friendly look, hoping it would be a better way to preserve peace within the small group. Before the two gad any time to answer, they could hear Littlefoot's call from far behind them.

"Hey guys! What are you doing there?" The Littlefoot asked sleepily as he hadn't heard the voices that Cera had just silenced. The threehorn looked at the others and decided that there was no reason to concern more of their friends with this unfortunate incident. Cera sounded almost neutral when she answered.

"Nothing really. Ducky just wanted to know if Petrie had any idea where we are and I joined in later." The threehorn sounded suspiciously calm to Littlefoot's liking but decided against questioning her further. There wasn't any major things Cera would hide from him anyway.

"Oh… okay. I don't think Petrie could have soon too much at this point, though." The longneck could see that the discussion hadn't been too positive so he decided to end the conversation there. The young longneck turned around to look behind him where he saw that the others were slowly starting to wake up. Littlefoot sighed as he thought about the day that was in front of them.

 _I hope that at least we find some green food today. I'm getting really hungry._

* * *

The plain beyond the long canyon that led to the Valley was a hilly, desolate desert that seemed to continue as far as eye could see. Many areas surrounding the famed refuge of the leaf eaters were very dry and inhospitable to any of the dinosaurs. It was kind of a mixed bag for this journey: the lack of food was a major downside but there were no mountains blocking their path and Petrie provided them with major relief in spotting the sharpteeth from afar. However, that advantage was dwindling with the slowly increasing wind and the thickening sand cloud. The weather was still fair but its intensification was a major cause for concern.

It had been over two hours since their departure to the wide fields and thus far everything had gone smoothly even if the temperature was quite hot even in the strong wind. Petrie's gaze scoured the increasingly hazy environment and to his major relief, no sharpteeth had been in sight during the whole journey but even then, Petrie could no longer tell which shade was real and which wasn't. The flier looked at his friends in concern as they moved deeper into the raging desert. Once again, his fight with Ducky had caused deep sadness and anger in the flier to an extent that he was likely to stay away from the others for now. Ducky's mere presence dampened his mood, something that caused great pain to the flier in itself. Apparently, their close friendship would be frozen until Ducky finally came to her senses. A single tear flowed from the flier's right eye as he thought about his hurt pride and the larger fight with the swimmer he had been dragged into. Still, he was forced to keep those feelings at bay for now and keep all his attention in the distant horizons. Petrie had growing doubts about this trip and, unknowingly to him, his worst fears would turn into reality soon enough.

* * *

 **The gang has decided the course of their future actions and some very important conversations have been exchanged between the friends. Now, the greatest question is whether they can find the two sharpteeth or will the coming storm hamper their plans and even worsen their woes? I hope you liked this chapter and let me know what you think about it! Have a great time until the next installment! :)**

 **The Rhombus: No worries, I know that sometimes the work takes its time away from other things. And yes, Ruby has a very complicated situation right now as both of her homes have been taken away from her in the course of a day. Her family's absence is unlikely to improve her mood any.**

 **I'm really happy that you found the last chapter well done and worthy of its momentous place in the story. It indeed changes the whole course of things and the situation suddenly grew to concern all members of the Gang. The fact that many of the Valley's denizens put their weight behind the two will indeed change the power dynamics tremendously but a lot will happen before we hear more from it. What is certain is that the trust between the Valley and the children won't be restored easily. This chapter, as you guessed, will have some very long-term implications for the story. I'm really happy you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for the great reviews!**

 **AllegroGiocoso: Yeah, it was necessary to tell more about my vision about Ruby and Chomper's pasts and to let them share their thoughts about this most momentous and unfortunate of events. I thought it would be a good idea to show why Ruby was Chomper's caretaker in the first place while bringing up the obvious fears swirling in Chomper's mind. As for the fishing scene, Ruby has some adjusting to do in embracing the whole spectrum of her diet and I thought it was a funny idea for them to share a small, meaty meal together after her times of leaf eating in the Valley.**

 **There were many arguments between different characters in the series but I, too, find it interesting that none of them were between Ducky and Petrie. The swimmer is going through some very rough times with her family which Petrie, to both of their misfortune, doesn't realize. Even then, each small fight in the Gang draws the others' attention and this time it was up to Littlefoot and Cera to stop it. Also, thank you for your kind words about the chase and the small characterization moments during the escape.**

 **Thank you both for your reviews! I truly appreciate them! :)**


	10. Two Paths Diverged

**Two Paths Diverged**

The Bright Circle scorched the open desert mercilessly, its burning rays dropping down upon a small group of dinosaurs far below. However, most of them were too deep in thought to really notice the heat, especially as the wind was rising slowly. Littlefoot's feelings were highly mixed as he walked forward alongside his friends. The journey's magnitude hadn't dissipated any but on the other hand, the feeling of utter despair was slowly starting to wear out. On its place had grown a feeling on uneasiness and concern which wasn't enough to raise anyone's spirit but it was easier to bear than the crushing feeling of overwhelming sadness that had been his and his friends' companion during the previous night. However, there was one new thing that clouded the longneck's thoughts.

Soon after they had taken off in the morning, when Littlefoot's thoughts started to clear out, it hadn't taken a lot of time for him to figure out what had happened between Petrie and Ducky in the early morning. Luckily, the crisis seemed to have ended for now but there was no telling how long that'd last. Littlefoot sighed as he thought about the two close friends' feud and to which lengths it had most likely already developed. The whole fight saddened him greatly as the do's antics had often been a lightening element during their past journeys and that knowledge made the fighting ever more difficult to understand. He could only hope it wouldn't resurface again today and that it would even begin to drown beneath the other problems of the present.

 _I guess I'll have to speak with Cera about this. She heard what was going on so she should know what's going on. I just have to hope those two can keep their fight to themselves for now._

* * *

Petrie shuddered as a more powerful gust hit his wings, forcing him to ascent somewhat higher to get above the rising wind. The flier struggled to keep his attention in searching for sharpteeth in the ground below but to his rising anxiety, the flying sand was starting to seriously obstruct his ability to search for them. Even if he didn't want to admit it to even himself, he knew he wouldn't be able to see a two-footer sharptooth in the horizon, let alone a much smaller fastbiter. As a tiny relief to the distressed flier, the group of seven friends hadn't seen any other dinosaurs during the whole day save for a small herd of spiketails not a long time ago. Still that didn't mean that the threat wouldn't appear in the coming hours and the rising wind concerned Petrie without measure. Soon enough, he would have to land altogether as there was no sign of the wind starting to grow any weaker.

In addition to the beating blow, his eyes were starting to be covered in sand, making the flier's efforts to fly in a straight line looking more like a desperate struggle to even stay afloat. Petrie was more than resolute about staying in the air and to safeguard his friends from sharpteeth. He would go to any lengths to do his job… until an even more powerful gust hit him in full swing, throwing him out from the sky like a tiny rock. However, to Petrie's luck, his ordeal had been noted in the ground.

"Petrie! Do your best to slow the fall! I'll try to catch you!" Littlefoot called as he saw his friend fall from a dangerous altitude, one that would cause a serious injury to the brown flier. Petrie did his best to flutter against the wind and to make his contact with the ground as painless as possible. He managed to slow the fall somewhat while Littlefoot charged towards the spot where he'd most likely land. The longneck's eyes followed his friend intensely and Littlefoot gritted his teeth when he prepared to halt Petrie's plunge.

He was only partly successful. One final gust took Petrie a few inches upwards, making only his left wing hit the longneck's back. As a result, he hit the ground behind him, taking a few forward rolls before his fall finally stopped. The flier lied still for a moment, panting heavily and taking a fearful expression to his face.

"Petrie, are you alright? That was a nasty drop!" Littlefoot said as he charged to his friend's side. He couldn't see any serious injuries on him but he had to make sure that his friend was alright. Petrie bled from a few spots and had a few cuts on him but it seemed to be nothing too serious.

"Petrie okay… even if me not fly in that storm anymore! No flier can stay up there!" Petrie said with a mix of relief and chagrin at the accident. He knew he was lucky to have survived without further injuries but that did little to dissipate his anger and frustration at the situation.

"Sometimes I'm happy that I cannot fly! Because in that case I'd been up there and up there isn't where I'd want to be!" Ruby said as she looked at the sky which was starting to turn brownish because of the sand. Even if neither of those present didn't wish to accept it, they knew that there was a real chance that this could turn into a full-blown sand cloud at any time.

"Me neither but if me not up there, how we knew if there's sharpteeth near us? Petrie have to go back there to see if we safe!" Petrie said as he spread his wings to see if they were okay. However, Littlefoot interrupted him right away, speaking in a resolute yet kind voice.

"No, Petrie! You cannot go back up there! The wind's only growing worse and the next fall could be worse than the last one! You have to wait until the storm eases even a little!" Littlefoot said in clear concern, determined to convince Petrie to listen to him this time. The flier knew that his friend was correct but he also wanted to do all he could do to help the others in the best way he could. He was about to answer when Cera interrupted him.

"Besides, which kind of sharptooth would be dumb enough to be here anyway? If we can't see anything here, neither can they! We should search for some kind of shelter though." The threehorn said, willing to calm the flier down. Even then, her own fears were starting to rise slowly as she looked around her. There were no cliffs or larger hills anywhere to be seen and with them disappeared any chance of finding a cave to survive the rising sand cloud.

"Well… there are some sharpteeth that hunt in any weather but they are very unusual. And because of that, I'd say we shouldn't be too concerned. We've had enough bad luck with us already!" Ruby sounded somewhat uneasy as she spoke but it was apparent that she knew her words were at least mostly true. Petrie looked at the two as he answered.

"You… you right, Cera and Ruby. It would be too much bad luck if they find us here. But there no shelter anywhere around us! Even from the sky Petrie saw nothing we could escape the sand cloud!" The flier spoke in a resigned voice when he thought about the hapless sight from the sky. His friends exchanged worried glances as each of them knew how dangerous sand clouds could be. It hadn't been too long ago when they had found themselves in one during their search for Bron. Littlefoot gulped as he thought about Petrie's words and answered quickly.

"Then we have to walk faster! We're bound to find something sooner or later and the sooner we get there, the sooner we're safe! Let's go!" Littlefoot said as he spoke to his friends. He truly hoped he was correct as soon all of their sight would be vanquished and with it, their last sense of direction would be wiped out. Even then, if what Petrie said was true, it would take a true miracle for them to find shelter anytime soon.

* * *

To each of the seven friends' growing fear, the sand cloud continued to gather strength in an increasing pace. Chomper felt like his whole mouth was filled with sand and that his eyes were completely covered in dust. The young sharptooth felt miserable as he struggled to keep up with the others, being too big to ride on his friends like Ducky or Petrie but too small to get through the unsavory soil with even relative ease. His steps were forced and increasingly difficult but still he managed to keep up with the others, even if he couldn't say how long that'd last.

Chomper would have wanted to close his eyes to shield them from the storm but in that case following the vague forms of his friends would become almost impossible. Sure, his smell could tell the rough direction they were in but locating them would be immensely difficult in this storm. Chomper struggled to hear if his friends had anything to say but he heard nothing. After minutes that felt like they stretched into hours, he heard something in the wind, a voice he decided could belong only to his friends.

"Did you say something, Littlefoot?" The young sharptooth yelled as hard as he could but to his chagrin, he received no answer. He tried to run to the longneck's side but the thickening sand hindered and slowed his efforts. However, soon he heard a question that brightened his mood somewhat.

"What is it, Chomper?" Littlefoot's voice was beyond meek in the middle of the howling wind but Chomper could hear what he said.

"What did you wish to say? I heard you called something to me!" The young sharptooth said in a confused voice. Why would Littlefoot ask this question if he had just called to the others? Littlefoot took a puzzled face and looked at the others.

"We said nothing. It's hard enough to move forward, let alone speak." Littlefoot answered matter-of-factly and continued his march. Chomper was extremely conflicted at first and tried to listen to the wind once again. He was sure he had heard something but if the voice didn't belong to his friends, then who was it? At first Chomper heard nothing but as moments flew by, he heard the distant, vague voice again. It was closer this time and it was heavily altered by the thundering winds. As he listened to it for a few moments, a sickening, terrified feeling started to form in his stomach. The mysterious voice sounded like a fastbiter but something seemed wrong. The footsteps of the pack seemed unnaturally exact and loud but he guessed it had to be because of the wind. However, the most important thing was that the voice was moving straight towards him and his friends.

"Littlefoot! Fast biters are moving towards us! They are still far but I think my cries told them our location!" Chomper said in a panicked voice, prompting a similar expression from Littlefoot. He turned to look into the direction Chomper pointed but saw nothing but the ghastly, brown curtain that hid the rest of the world from his gaze. There was no trace of any threat in this endless, brown wall but Littlefoot knew better than to overlook Chomper's warnings. He shuddered at the thought of a clawed forelimb suddenly reaching from the sandy air seconds before it'd cut his throat wide open. The longneck's voice was that of uncharacteristic panic but he managed to keep his calm to a certain degree.

"You heard Chomper! Run as fast as you can but whatever you do, stay together! If we lose each other, we will never be able to find you again!" Littlefoot was preparing to run straight forward when Chomper continued to speak in an extremely horrified voice.

"We have to change our direction, they know which way we're going! But if we're lucky, they won't smell us in this sand cloud!" Chomper said and started to head towards the left, prompting the others to follow him. Petrie cringed at the changed direction as it would rob him of the last idea where he and his friends were. Still, he couldn't question Chomper's reasoning so he stayed quiet. Even the flier understood that any more speaking would only help the fast biters to navigate through the flying sand.

Chomper did his best to prevent himself from falling in the treacherous sea of sand dunes but that didn't change the fact that the fast biters were gaining on them all the time. He could hear their footsteps growing louder by the minute but, to his great puzzlement, he couldn't smell anything from that direction even if the wind was blowing from there. The whole situation seemed like one from a terrifying sleep story: a chaser gaining on you middle of a terrifying flux from which there was no escape. In mere moments, the enemy would be upon them despite their change of direction. Chomper swallowed in fear as he prepared to speak to Littlefoot.

"Littlefoot, the fast biters… Aaahh!" Chomper's words were interrupted by the appearance of a fast biter's face from the brown veil and the next thing he knew was that he was flying in the ground, coughing sand from his mouth. The screams of his friends accompanied him as he raised his gaze back upwards. The first fast biter had kicked him out of the way, most likely not even noticing him and it was mounting its assault on Spike who was walking last of the seven friends.

Littlefoot turned quickly on his heels, preparing to go to any lengths to save his friend from the predator. However, three more appeared quickly from the sand cloud, stopping the longneck momentarily in deep shock. In this moment of desperation, he was more than happy to hear Ruby's voice call near him.

"Spike is safe for now, for now safe he is! Run forward no matter what and try to dodge the beasts as long as you can!" Ruby cried as she clawed the fastbiter to its thigh as deeply as she could. The sharptooth had managed to inflict a long wound to Spike's side but Ruby couldn't tell whether it was anything serious. However, this wasn't the place to think about such things. Spike whimpered as he continued his escape and it was clear that the injury was extremely painful and it would require some kind of treatment sooner or later.

Reinforced by the extent Spike's injury, Ruby could tell that the situation was extremely dangerous for her and her friends. Even after the initial attack's failure, the fast biters would still hold a clear advantage in this chase. At this point, the seven friends managed to stay together to a large degree even if they had spread a little farther than before to make the running easier and the threat of any attacks less dangerous. Ruby could feel her heart beating in her ears as the sand hindered her breathing. The fast runner couldn't know how long she'd be able to keep this up.

Petrie tried to stay as calm as he could but that didn't change the fact that he shuddered uncontrollably and whimpered slightly. However, the flier soon realized that he was only hindering Cera's ability to escape by riding on her back. Despite knowing the immense danger he was putting himself in, Petrie spread his wings and headed towards the raging skies.

The flier felt nasty battering as the wind and sand attempted to ground him once again. However, Petrie wasn't about to let that happen anymore and with herculean effort, the flier managed to keep himself stable enough to be able to follow his friends. It took a moment before Cera realized Petrie's absence but the threehorn quickly noticed him flying nearby and nodded to him in approval. However, it was mere seconds until Petrie saw two fast biters appear from behind him, heading towards his friends.

"Cera, look out!" Petrie cried as the fast runner reached out to Cera. The threehorn heard Petrie's warning just in time and quickly rolled to her right side, making the fastbiter run past her, right towards her other friends who let out a scream as they did their best to make their escape. Cera had already regained her footing and tried to rejoin her friends. However, it would prove harder than she thought.

Two of the fast biters had reached her friends and in the chaos of the moment, Spike along with Ducky and Ruby had started to flee into different directions. Trying to survive the chase was the main concern in their minds even if Ruby realized the error she was making. She could still see Littlefoot and the fast biters' silhouettes in the distance and quickly regained her composure.

"Spike, Ducky, come back! We have to help them, help them we have to!" Ruby yelled to the spiketail but to her deep concern, no answer came. Had Spike already gotten lost in this hellish desert? If so, there was very little she could do to him at this point.

Petrie looked at the scene below him fearfully, knowing that the chance that some of his friends wouldn't survive the day was growing by the minute. He could see three fast biters ganging up around Littlefoot and Cera who did their best to defend each other but Petrie knew that they would need his help if they wished to preserve any hope for survival. With a sickening feeling in his belly, Petrie dashed at the closest of the fast biters, trying to cause enough damage for his friends to make their escape.

The sharptooth cried as Petrie's beak penetrated into its upper back, thrusting deep into the carnivore's flesh. The flier felt his whole word grow numb due to the force of impact but he frantically continued his assault. He was about to call to his friends when a sudden rebuke from the beast sent the flier into the flurry of winds, one of which grabbed him into its fold before he could regain his balance. The last thing he saw of the scene was one of the fast biters striking a heavy blow on Littlefoot's hind leg, one that would certainly slow his escape. At this point, however, Petrie could do nothing but watch as the ground disappeared under him and as the hot wind only increased his ascension towards the heights and further towards the north. The flier's efforts turned into desperate flutters as he disappeared into the swirling burrow of flying sand.

* * *

Cera looked in horror as the brown flier was being dragged into the sky, fully knowing that it would take a long time before Petrie could even hope to take control of his own flight and begin his search for his friends. She could only hope that he wouldn't hurt himself or worse in that terrifying storm. However, even more pressing and dangerous was the scene unfolding before her eyes. Littlefoot screamed in pain as the gaping wound on his leg started to color the ground below him red. The threehorn looked at her friend in defiance as he started to speak.

"Just go, Cera! I cannot run fast enough and even if I could, my blood will tell them where we are!" Littlefoot panted as he struggled for breath but the threehorn merely snorted as the duo charged against the fast biter that Petrie already wounded. Cera's charge fell the carnivore to the ground when the threehorn answered.

"Don't be ridiculous, Littlefoot! We've got to find Petrie and Spike before these monsters do!" Cera's voice was almost indifferent to the situation as all of her concentration had been dedicated to finding ways to survive the dangerous encounter. She was surprised as she heard a growl to her right side as Chomper bit one of the fast biters to its leg. As a result, the larger carnivore kicked Chomper with all of its might, sending the young sharptooth towards his two friends and he stopped near Littlefoot's front legs.

"Are you alright, Chomper? That was a nasty kick." Cera said as she looked at her friend in concern. Chomper took a few breath as he looked at his bruised side.

"That hurt but it's alright. Right now we have to get away from the fast biters!" Chomper called in a loud voice while he felt the air return to his lungs. Neither of his friends objected to the sharptooth's proposition and once again headed to the unknown, their sense of direction long since gone. Ruby joined them shortly but it was mere moments before the escaping dinosaurs heard a panicked yell as one of the sharpteeth managed to trip Cera, felling the threehorn to the ground. Littlefoot and Ruby were already preparing to rush to help her when two of the other carnivores jumped between the friends. Littlefoot looked in despair as they closed the ring around Cera, his fear reinforced by the knowledge that he had been unable to help a friend in need.

"We have to go Littlefoot! There's… there's nothing we can do!" Ruby spoke in a broken voice as she looked at Littlefoot's expression which was glazed at the shuddering threehorn. The longneck had seldom seen such despair in Cera's eyes, in fact, not since the duo's first meeting with the sharptooth all those long Cold Times ago.

 _It… it isn't going to end like this. It just cannot! Cera… you were with me back then, now I'll stay with you!_

"Ruby, we can still save Cera! Come on, help me!" Littlefoot said in an absentminded voice as he moved to help the imperiled threehorn. Ruby felt terrible at being forced to face this situation. Her intellect and all the wisdoms she had learned during her life told her to flee but she couldn't just leave Littlefoot or Cera here to die! The fast runner followed Littlefoot quickly, trying to break the fast runners' formation but the carnivores did something the duo hadn't expected. They quickly turned around and attacked the duo headlong, forcing them further away from their prey.

Littlefoot fought against his own overwhelming sobs as Cera's whimpers and calls for help grew ever more distant. Of all the possible disasters he could imagine, this was the one he could bear the least. His friend, the oldest one at that, would soon being butchered before his eyes and he could nothing but watch the coming bloody display. Cera had been the first friend he had made in all his life and the only one whose friendship he fought for a long time. Littlefoot saw the duo's games in the small lake on that fateful day before his eyes, the time when she saved everyone by arriving to help them beat the sharptooth, let alone all the good, precious times they had spent during their time together. The thought that this would be the goodbye… this wasn't a scenario he was about to live to tell about.

"You won't get Cera, you monsters! If you want her, you'll have to kill me first!" Littlefoot cried as he charged at the larger dinosaur, forcing it to back off a bit even if the carnivore still held the control of the situation. Ruby looked in horror as she saw Littlefoot charge headlong a the fast biter, fully knowing that he didn't expect to survive the attack. Ruby fought against hope that he would come to his senses but she could see that wouldn't be the case. The little longneck was overcome by fear and sorrow, all traces of his reason being sept away by this moment. Ruby bowed her head as she contemplated her own options.

Ruby knew she would never forgive herself if she fled now, realizing that she would forever more blame herself for the death of the others but the other option wasn't much more appetizing. She knew throwing her life away like would solve nothing. Ruby looked with ultimate sadness at Littlefoot's struggle, knowing there was no chance the longneck would prevail against the beast. The fast runner saw Chomper rushing to his friend's side and even in this position, Ruby knew what she'd have to do, even if she hesitated greatly in making that decision. No matter the outcome, she was resolved to stand with her beloved friends as long as she could. That was, if she had any chance at being able to do so.

Two new fast biters appeared from the sand curtain, suddenly moving between Ruby and the others. The fast runner looked in despair as Littlefoot was starting to lose ground against his opponent, a distinct look of panic rising to the longneck's face. This sight nearly broke Ruby as Littlefoot had always led his friends with utmost dedication and intelligence, not once losing his cool or calmness in face of danger. Now, however, Ruby saw that Littlefoot's capacity was nearing its limit as the longneck slowly started to accept what was happening.

"Run, Littlefoot! You must run or we'll all be eaten!" Ruby called in desperation, tears falling from her eyes as she realized she had just spoken in favor of leaving Cera to die. Such an option wasn't acceptable to anyone involved but Ruby had been prepared for such a scenario all her life. Even during her early childhood, Ruby remembered that her parents had told her to abandon them even if it meant not seeing her parents or siblings ever again in the knowledge that the survival of the family was more important than any of its members'. Now, however, such a thought was a bitter and outrageous one without end to the young fast runner but it seemed like these new sharpteeth were giving her little choice.

"We cannot do that, Ruby! We cannot give up before doing our best!" Chomper answered in an almost matter-of-factly voice, even if his voice wavered without end. Ruby knew he was right but she had been cut off from the scene, hindering her ability to interfere. The last thing she saw before the fast biters started to charge towards her was that of the sharpteeth felling Littlefoot to the ground, ready to cut his neck and Chomper charging towards him. Cera was too far to be seen at this point but Ruby feared that the worst had already come to pass. She called one, last desperate time before she was forced to flee the scene.

"Chomper, come here this instant! I cannot return home without you!" Ruby tried one more time, remembering that the young sharptooth was both her friend and her utmost responsibility. Ruby would have wanted to collapse to the ground in sorrow when she received no answer but she wasn't one to give up so easily. She might have failed in her mission but she wasn't about to throw all of her parents' lessons and their legacy away like this. Her friends' fates were no longer in her hands and the best way to help them right now was to ensure her own survival. Ruby turned on her heels and headed to the direction she hoped would lead towards safety.

* * *

Petrie twitched in panic as the hot, swirling mass of air continued to take him ever higher and further from his friends, unable to do anything but watch the display and hope for the best. The horrifying flight seemed like it had lasted for hours and the flier had lost all sense of time and space. Slowly, the wind started to seem like it was losing some of its violence and power and it gave the brown flier some room to maneuver his movements. With herculean effort, Petrie managed to straighten his body and to regain some form of control of his own movements but they were still highly forced and dependent on the wind. Still, that little relief was just enough to save his life.

Like a ghostly giant, a massive cliff suddenly appeared before Petrie who was moving fast enough for the force of the collision to crush the small flier like an egg. Petrie realized this immediately and he did his all to stretch his wings to a better position to reach for the upward winds.

 _Oh, no, no, no! Me must find the right wind or me done for! Just have to… get higher!_

Petrie flapped his wings as he tried to avoid the deadly collision and soon, to his great relief, he started to rise quickly towards the heights. He couldn't see the top of the cliff and he fought with all his might to avoid closing his eyes as the menacing rock drew ever loser. That was when he felt it: a powerful gust towards the skies that literally skyrocketed the flier upwards. The air flushed in Petrie's ears as he approached the top of the cliff. Petrie prepared to grab to a large rock to stop his flight but another gust jeopardized his plans somewhat. It sent Petrie right towards the cliff, hitting his left wing on a group of sharp rocks which cut a long wound to the delicate membrane and causing a nasty hit to his arm. Petrie panted in shock as he grabbed at the solid ground with all his might.

The wind still threatened to wipe the flier away with it and Petrie realized that being dragged to another whirlwind would be his end with his wounded wing. Even through the pain, Petrie understood the magnitude of these few seconds. A step after step, Petrie crawled forward and kept himself as firmly in the ground as he could. Soon, he saw a large rock on the mountain top, one that could perhaps shield him from the wind long enough. The flier's eyes were completely sore with the sand and every part of his body either hurt or ached.

 _Just… a few more seconds… and me can rest! Me… hope friends also be okay!_

Petrie tried to imagine his reunion with his friends as a motivator to keep him going. He didn't even think about the fast runners at this point, all of his attention put upon remembering the things that he was prepared to survive for. Petrie crawled slowly under the rock, where lied a narrow but deep cave. The flier couldn't say whom it belonged to but it would have to accommodate the newcomer for the duration of the storm. Petrie felt the wind's violent force dissipate as he descended into the small pit, an endless wave of relief washing over him. After the horrifying danger he had just gone through, it was a huge reprieve that he was here at all. For now, he was safe at least.

* * *

The fast runner couldn't even say at this point how far away her chasers were. The original sounds of chase had largely been buried under the sounds of the howling wind, a testament to her expertise in finding a complex, easy path that would be difficult to follow in this weather. Ruby knew that the fast biters most likely thought she was overcome with panic but at this point, she simply took the easiest path though the desert, the one which seemed to have the thinnest mass of sand. Even then, she could still hear the footsteps behind her but they were growing weaker by the moment. She knew there was no chance her chasers would be able to smell her in the storm so she would only have to find a shelter where she would hide from the carnivores.

The primal instinct of survival was the only thing that kept Ruby's thoughts sensible at this point. Her conscious mind was a maze of self-accusations and fears but her brain still worked tirelessly to ensure the fast runner's survival. Ruby's face was a mask of resoluteness even if it hid a massive array of different regrets about the last hour's events. Ruby was running in a trance-like state, her mind focused on only one thing while holding the other thoughts steadily in bay. The time would come soon when those would be released in full swing but for now, Ruby's eyes scoured the sight in front of her.

 _Small rocks, sand dunes… nothing that can hide me. What's that? Oh, just small bushes… Hey, that could work, work that could work!_

Ruby suddenly saw a tiny ravine which was hardly equal to her own height but there was one option that was worth exploring to her. The fast runner grabbed a large handful of rocks from the ground and threw them over the ravine while jumping to it herself. The fast runner grabbed another, larger stone and threw it among out of the ravine and jumped headlong under a dune, trying to cover herself as well as she only could.

Seconds dragged by as Ruby held her breath in this most oppressing of situations. The footsteps grew louder until the fast runner heard the fast biters jump over her, following the voice and the still slightly swirling spot where the rocks had landed. They didn't seem to hesitate for a moment even if in a normal lighting they could have seen the half-buried fast runner shivering in the ground. Ruby could see that her moment had come and started to crouch in the ravine, using all of her experience to move as quietly as possible. Soon enough, the carnivores would come back searching for her and by then, Ruby knew she would have to disappear into the slowly easing storm.

 _Oh, please don't come back yet! Just give me one minute and I'll make it, make it I will! I'll come back to search for my friends when the storm ends. They're alright, I'm sure!_

Ruby continued to repeat those words in her mind endlessly, fully knowing that it was only one of the many possibilities. For now, the fast runner simply wasn't ready to face the truth that her friends were more than likely gone, the endless, unsure hopes accompanying her as she slowly moved away from the fast biters' grasp. As soon as the wind started to die down, the time would come to search for her friends but for now, she had managed to outsmart the sharpteeth. Ruby could only hope her luck wouldn't die down with the slowly weakening sand cloud.

* * *

 **The worst-case scenario for the Gang has come to pass, with most of the seven most likely having met their ends in the claws of the sharpteeth. Worse yet, Petrie has been injured and Ruby's situation is far from secure. From now on, both of them will have to use all their wit and intelligence to survive alone in their hostile world. There was a little bit of delay for this chapter as I had a lot of planning to do for this story's future but I'm done with them now! I can't wait to see if you find the coming chapters as intriguing as I do! Let me know what you think about this chapter and see you in the next one!**

 **The Rhombus: Those discussions will receive even more substance to them after the events of this new chapter. It's likely that Ruby will have to accept if all of her encouragement and support for Chomper were for naught as well as Petrie who has more than possibly parted forever with his friend in such a discouraging manner. Even the Valley is a distant prospect for both survivors but it will concern them in the coming weeks... You're right that the approaching storm brought a very concrete and decisive change with it!**

 **AllegroGiocoso: Yep, I thought it's time for me to begin to give more focus on Ruby and her life with her family. As for the departure scene, I felt the sequence from Starday Celebration needed some context to it as it is the same scene with the story around it expanded to explain the circumstances in which Ruby left for the Valley. And yes, that journey and the next three Cold Times assured she'd never see things the same way again. I'm happy to hear you liked the reunion of the Gang as I spent some time trying to make it highly emotional while trying to keep it from becoming cheesy! It's nice to hear that I succeeded in it! :)**


	11. Separate Ways

**Separate Ways**

The small mountaintop was bashed mercilessly for hours, the strong winds wiping out each recognizable landmarks atop the whole mountain range. The entire desert around it was being formed anew as the old mounds of sands replaced the old ones and formed a new face for the entire region. It was as if the earlier version of the same area was being replaced by a new, alien land as happened so often in these wide desert areas. It was in large part because of this phenomenon that made the deserts surrounding the Mysterious Beyond as treacherous as they were. The familiar landscape from a past migration wasn't the same that greeted the traveler next time he or she traversed through those same fields.

However, that mattered little to a young flier who was tightly nestled in a small tunnel on the top of the high mountain. Petrie shuddered in fear and pain as he looked at the swirling sands above him, counting seconds and hoping that the terrifying wind would soon start to die down. Soon after reaching his sanctuary, Petrie had calmed down enough to investigate his wing to see the full extent of the injuries he had suffered during the storm. The brown flier felt a mixture of shock and relief as he looked at his injured body part. On one hand, a deep cut penetrated the thin membrane and the pain in his arm told the flier that it was most likely sprained. However, he was still able to move it without the pain growing too intense, pointing to the fact that it wasn't broken.

 _At least me wing will get better soon but it hurt so much and Petrie cannot fly! Oh, me hope momma and friends here!_

Petrie's thought turned immediately back to his companions who were still out there, lost and in serious danger in that terrible storm. The flier got the urge to immediately rise up from the hole and head to help his friends escape from the fast biters but the young dinosaur immediately realized that it was a foolish thought to begin with. Even if he could fly in his current condition, the chance that he'd find his friends out in that sand cloud would be extremely unlikely. For better or worse, he had no chance but to wait out the storm and to see what he could do afterwards.

The adventurous flier felt sick at this forced inaction, especially as the memories of the fast biters returned to his mind. The others had been in a deadly danger when he had been separated from them and now… Petrie couldn't even think about the situation where his friends were now. The possibility of them being helplessly devoured by the ravenous carnivores was a possibility the flier wasn't ready to confront. Petrie whimpered in anxiety as he tried his best to fight against the rising panic within his mind. In this agonizing state of mind, Petrie realized that any kind of action was better than to simply drown himself in his fearful images.

 _Hmm, the tunnel seem to get wider! Petrie wonder what be out there?_

The flier decided to head deeper into the tunnel, hoping to find anything that would keep his thoughts together at least until the storm ended. Noticing that the wound in his wing was still bleeding, Petrie crouched to the ground and covered his wound with mud that was lying on the floor in order to end the bleeding in his wing, knowing that it was the quickest way to stop the blood leaving his body. The flier gulped as he headed towards a larger opening… until a creature of tiny size appeared before the flier with an agitated look on its face.

"Get out, big beast! I want to see none of your kind in my home!" The small dinosaur raged, its fury looking almost amusing to the flier who was at least twice his host's size. Even then, Petrie knew that this creature's help or enmity could be a major factor if he ever wished to get out of here and to get his wing healed. The smaller dinosaur's appearance was a minor source of concern for the flier as it resembled a fast biter in its body build. Even then, Petrie relaxed somewhat as he realized that it was far too small to be of any threat to him and it didn't even have sharp teeth. Even then, Petrie stuttered heavily as he answered.

"O… okay… but why? Why cannot Petrie stay here?" The flier realized that his answer was beyond awkward but he was already confused by the whole situation. The smaller dinosaur looked at his guest in an investigative way, slightly easing his composure as he realized that the flier wasn't preparing to attack him. Even then, he wasn't about to ease his stance any as he was far from ready to trust in the younger dinosaur's benevolence. Each and every creature in the Mysterious Beyond was a potential enemy and this young flier wasn't an exception.

"Because those giant creatures out there always think I and my children are an easy meal! I cannot know when you are going run over me and ruin my eyes with your beak or attack my nest! It's bad enough that you found our home and I'm not going to let you go any further in, bark beak!" The small two-footed dinosaur put his hand to his hips, willing to show Petrie that he meant what he was saying. The flier felt disappointed by this cold welcome but even then he realized that if his "host" wasn't planning to let him to the cave, there was still a chance he would be of other kind of help. Before that, Petrie realized that he should give further proof of his lack of threat before moving to asking favors.

"Gee, me couldn't even catch you as long as me wing hurt! It bent badly when Petrie was swept up here in your home! Even if me wanted, Petrie could hurt nobody!" The flier's voice turned once more into a melancholic one as he was reminded of the drama that was most likely happening somewhere in the desert. The smaller dinosaur slow turned his gaze at Petrie's wing and noticed that he was speaking the truth. A flier that couldn't fly was a harmless one and, more often than not, a dead one in the Mysterious Beyond. Even then, the small theropod could tell it wasn't broken and the flier still held a chance of survival.

"The next time you get such a wound, don't try to cover it with mud because you might get sick afterwards. But don't worry, it seldom gets too serious. In any case, you may call me Hider." The small fast biter looked at his guest in slight sympathy and his stance with the flier was slowly softening. Petrie noticed this and he was relieved to see that the situation wasn't as tense anymore as It had initially seemed.

"And me name be Petrie! Me only stay here until the sand cloud stop, then me go away! But me like to know… what are you?" The flier asked, willing to know more about his host. He had never seen anyone like him and he was interested to hear more about his kind, if only to calm his stretched nerves. The smaller dinosaur looked disappointed by this question as he was used to such questions in the past. With a sigh, Hider answered the question. He turned his side at Petrie and showed his tail which, to the flier's astonishment, was just as long as the rest of the creature's body.

"Very few bigger kinds think we are worthwhile of noticing, let alone remembering! We are called the bigtails, as they are far bigger than most other kinds'. Even then, I haven't met too many others of our kind but the tales tell there are lots and lots of us! We may be small but we may still be the greatest kind there is!" Hider said with a prideful look on his face. Petrie looked at the small dinosaur in astonishment, failing to hold back his laugh. This small, rare creature the most important dinosaur there is? Petrie wasn't often mean against new dinosaurs but this was a situation where he couldn't hold back his amusement.

"You call that a big tail and you think your kind be the most important of all dinosaurs? Haha, that be so funny!" Petrie snickered before he saw the small dinosaur look at him with a stern look which immediately ended Petrie's laugh.

"I've also heard about the arrogance most fliers show against us "lesser" beings. There's a reason why I never cared about your kind anyway! If that is what you think, just be on your way already!" Hider was about to turn around when Petrie realized his mistake. Only this small dinosaur would be able to help him in this mess and he couldn't afford offending him any further. Even if he wouldn't no longer accept him as readily, there was only one thing where Petrie needed an answer from him.

"Me sorry, Hider! Me… Petrie didn't mean to be mean! Bigtails actually be very scary…. like this!" Petrie tried to amuse the smaller dinosaur by snarling at the air and making a face that was supposed to be scary but only ended up looking comical. Hider looked at the flier in slight amusement and simply sighed at the display. He then spoke in a serious manner, willing to get the intruder away from his home as fast as he could.

"What do you want from me? If you don't want to eat us, then why aren't you going back to wait for the sand cloud to end?" Hider's voice was tired but it was now devoid of the earlier chagrin Petrie had caused him with his unthought comment. His voice wasn't as friendly as it was before but Petrie was now confident enough to ask his host for help.

"Petrie would like to know if… if Hider tell me where to find food when the storm ends? Me cannot fly so…" The flier was confident the bigtail would get the hint and he did shortly. Hider took a deep expression and pondered at the situation. There wasn't too much food for a leaf eater here but Hider decided that helping the flier wouldn't be against his best interests. He hadn't had many visitors and he was slowly starting to grow a liking to this young flier. He approached his injured guest and spoke to him in an almost friendly voice.

"I've seen some spots of green food on the lower slopes of these mountains but I don't know if it's good enough to it. I can get by eating crawlers and buzzers but you're not so lucky. It won't be easy for you to get there and it exposes you to flying sharpteeth but that's the only way you may survive long enough for your wing to get better. However, if I remember correct, even there's not too much of water down there." Hider's voice didn't hide his concern for the flier's safety and Petrie realized that his survival was far from guaranteed. There was something in the small fast biter's expression that puzzled Petrie but he decided to leave it be. Still, he nodded to the smaller dinosaur in approval and thanked him before heading towards the mouth of the tunnel.

"Thanks, Hider! Petrie will try to get there after the sand cloud ends!" Petrie smiled at the smaller dinosaur who returned the gesture. He spoke one last time to the flier before he headed towards his nest.

"Be safe, Petrie. I haven't helped many outsiders but I truly hope you'll live through this." Petrie looked as the small, yellowish fast biter disappeared into the darkness, hoping that the storm ended soon. Even if Petrie couldn't see it, Hider's face had a conflicted expression, unsure what to do about the flier. Perhaps it was best for him to keep a low profile for now and to take a look if Petrie was as innocent as he seemed. The flier was left alone in the dark tunnel, the silent, oppressive, silence falling down upon him as the horrific images of his friends returned to his mind, Petrie's mind too spent to even fight their dominance in his mind anymore.

* * *

Heavy panting could be heard from a small ravine as Ruby tried to calm down from all the drama she had just gone through. She had run for a long time to escape from the fast biters' grasp, finally deciding that she had lost them in the curtain of raging sands. Ruby looked in deep relief as the air started to finally clear and the wind's humming ease in her ears. Even the Bright Circle started to finally return to the sky but at this moment, Ruby's fear started to return swiftly. She had survived the encounter but what about her friends? Ruby's face turned into a mask of concern and sickly horror as she slowly stood up from the small gorge she had hidden in. Wherever the fast runner looked, only the monotonic sight of newly-settled sand greeted her eyes. This didn't help to calm Ruby's nerves any.

"Where's the ravine I used to escape from the fast biters or the hills that were near the place when… when it happened?" Ruby talked to herself to try to relieve the stress of the moment but to her horror, she couldn't answer her own questions. There was nothing worth seeing or remembering in this land of extreme heat and monotony. Ruby frowned heavily as she tried to come up with a plan to find her friends. She had been told to always keep a track of her surroundings to keep an idea where she was and to come up with a plan where her companions would most likely gather. For now, however, the most important part was to try to locate the place where she had been separated from her friends. She had arrived from the direction that now was to her right but she had taken many turns and twists during her escape, denying her any chance to reliably tell the way she had come from. However, that mattered little at this point. She had to do something and she'd do whatever she could to track her own path back into that fateful place.

"I just hope the f… fast biters won't find me again. Luckily the wind is blowing from behind me so they can't smell me even if they were close enough to smell me!"

* * *

An hour passed during which Ruby was unable to do anything but blame herself for this whole situation and especially about Chomper's disappearance. In addition to losing her dearest friend, perhaps forever, she had also lost more than that. Chomper had been her responsibility, her charge granted to her by her family. Without him, Ruby didn't know how he would be able to return home. When the word about this nightmare spread, her family's hard-earned alliance with Chomper's parents would more than likely turn into open enmity. Only because of her, her parents and siblings would be in mortal danger from now on.

But that mattered little to the young fast runner who was far too concerned with the fear of being never able to see her friends again to care about the herd relationships. Tears fell from Ruby's eyes as she recalled all the times she, Chomper and the others had spent together. Ruby cringed as she thought about her own situation. If the worst were to prove true, what would she do? Would she find the courage to carry on or would she die on this desert like the others?

In her anxious thoughts, Ruby didn't notice a slight depression in the ground and the fast runner tripped on in it and fell head long into the ground. She quickly rose up and was surprised to see another dinosaur's recent presence here. The footprint was too covered with sand for the young fast runner to recognize which kind of dinosaur it belonged to. It was a large, four-legged leaf eater but that was all Ruby could tell. No matter who had done it, it wasn't one of Ruby 's friends.

"At least the fast biters haven't returned and the wind is still good for me because it keeps me safe! I just hope the others have been as lucky!" The fast runner spoke to herself as she did her best to prevent despair rising within her. On the positive side, the wind was still quite powerful and it kept the extreme heat of the desert in an acceptable range. Even then, Ruby's expression turned into an ever more fearful one. According to her guesses, she was approaching the spot where she had left the others. Sooner than later, she would find out if the worst had come to pass or if she could rejoin her friends as a result of miraculous luck.

* * *

Petrie looked in careful hopefulness as the wind was slowly starting to die down. He had worked hard to keep the tunnel mouth from being drowned in sand and his efforts had paid off nicely. The tunnel's rocky walls were now covered with dust but it mattered little as the opening itself had stayed unblocked. Seeing that it was now safe for him to investigate his surroundings, Petrie rose carefully from the hole, doing his best to safeguard his wing from any extra stress. Even then, it hurt immensely to pull himself to the mountaintop.

The first thing that caught Petrie's attention was a large stone pillar rising on another nearby mountain and some unusual-looking formations within it. It looked almost like… some parts of it could be recognized as resembling a wing and a beak. After a small time of observing the rock, even a more cynic creature could see it resembling a large flier. Petrie looked at it for a moment and found it quite intriguing to see it.

 _Uncle Pterano would want to see this! He always think the fliers best of all dinosaurs!_

Even then, it helped little at this moment. Hider had told him to search for food on the lower slopes of these hills and he would do so. The flier felt miserable at being forced to do this alone but he understood it had to be done if he wished to retain the chance of ever seeing his friends again. Most of all, his last conversation with Ducky returned to haunt Petrie on his hour of rare loneliness. That fight only this same morning wasn't the way Petrie would have wanted to part from his closest friend. His own preach about unimportant things when Ducky was already feeling so bad… a few tears flowed from Petrie's eyes as he investigated the walls of the mountain.

 _Why did Petrie have to be so mean! Me should have let her be or at least try to help Ducky! This be all me fault! Petrie just hope me Ducky soon and make things good!_

The flier had been taken away by the winds before he had learned the severity of the danger the others were in. He tried to keep himself confident that they were okay even if the presence of the fast biters also took a great toll on his own his hope as well. Still, as long as there was a possibility that his friends were alive and well, Petrie knew he wouldn't give up.

The ledges of the mountaintop were in many places quite steep and the wind still blew over the mesa-like hill rather strongly. Petrie grabbed tightly at the edges of the cliff and investigated the western side of the Mysterious Beyond surrounding the mountain. From it opened another endless expanse of a desert, interrupted only by a small, winding line in the far distance. Petrie decided that it had to be the river he and his friends were looking for but the distance was far too great for him to cover without flying.

Turning his gaze straight downwards, Petrie could see to his slight relief a greenish spot far below him. There seemed to be a small pond down there and it could sustain him long enough for his wing to recover, just as the tiny fast biter had said. However, reaching it was far from easy. There were small ledges here and there and with some luck, he'd be able to use them as stepping stones downward the cliff. However, that would require his wings to be able to support his weight for a few seconds at the time.

Petrie moved to a slightly high part of mountaintop and tried to put his wings to a careful gliding position. The brown flier prepared for stinging pain to interrupt his flight when he took the jump. The young flier gritted his teeth in pain but to his surprise, he managed to land before the pain became impossible to bear. Petrie panted for a moment while he prepared for the coming ordeal. No matter the problems, he would reach that green oasis and heal his wing before long. His whole survival depended on his ability to do that.

* * *

The wind had started to completely settle around another juvenile dinosaur far below the flier's position, completely oblivious to his survival or injury. However, she too, was approaching a critical moment in her own attempt to find her friends. While Ruby didn't have the slightest of ideas about her location, her instinct told the fast runner that she was approaching the place in which she had been separated from her friends. Ruby felt terrible as she looked for any signs of battle or last struggle for life. She knew she wasn't prepared to face the more gruesome possibilities that could lie near her but Ruby didn't have a choice at this point.

The fast runner scoured the endless sand dunes but she found nothing of worth. The Bright Circle was already starting to fall to the horizon when Ruby was ready to give in to despair. She had found nothing and her chance of ever reuniting with her friends again were dwindling by the minute. Ruby kicked the ground in a mixture of agitation and sadness while she tried to come up with any new ideas.

 _Come on, Ruby, come up with something new! I have to find something to determine whether my friends are okay and if they're okay, how to find them! I must find them because if I don't, I won't find them later either!_

Ruby was just preparing to give in to her inner turmoil in this hellish situation until she noticed a few footsteps in the ground. At first, she didn't see anything interesting but after a moment, the fast runner could tell that they belonged to a young threehorn which seemed to have run with all her or his might to the west, most likely away from something. However, this find nearly stunned Ruby as she started to think about the implications. If Cera had run here alone, she must have been able to escape from the fast biters' ring of death! And if she had done that, there was a very good chance that she was still alive!

Ruby started to immediately follow the footsteps which were also starting to get burrowed under burrows of sand. Admittedly, they didn't seem too fresh but who cared about that if Cera was alive? Ruby smiled and chuckled to herself as the fast runner headed after the trail most likely left for her by one of her beloved friends. If she found the threehorn, she could most likely be able to tell what had happened to the others. Their absence worried Ruby greatly but there was a chance that Cera had simply been separated from them, just like the fast runner herself had.

* * *

The brown flier looked at the scene below him with a fearful expression. He had enjoyed high places ever since he found his ability to fly during his and his friends' battle against the sharptooth but things looked so much different when he was bound to the ground. The drop would have been far from scary if he was flying but knowing that he wouldn't be able to save himself with his gift of flight in case he lost his footing terrified the young flier without end. His kind wasn't supposed to surrender to these kinds of ordeals.

"Petrie cannot look down! Even thinking about that make me all funny inside!" Petrie shuddered as he slowly backed away from the cliff, doing his best to calm his terrified nerves. No matter what, he would have to get down or face starvation. The thought of that made him feel even more miserable as there was nobody there to give him courage. He was alone in a way he hadn't been in many long Cold Times. Even then, one thing seemed to give Petrie courage in this moment of utter fear.

The cliff resembling a flier seemed majestic and comforting, even more so than the fabled Saurus Rock to the young dinosaur. His uncle Pterano had told him so much about the time of the fliers' dominance in the world and something in Petrie's mind told him that those tales held more truth to them than his uncle's other tales. Even if the flier was far from ambitious or proud, those tales combined with this impressive sight made him want to prove that he wasn't a scaredy egg.

 _If those fliers back then were so tough, so can be Petrie! Me won't stay here while me friends in trouble! Just wait and see!_

The flier moved quickly back towards the fall and his eyes momentarily rolled in his head in an almost comic fashion. Still, Petrie put all of his concentration to the issue at hand and started to investigate the best path downward. Maybe he could jump between the small ledges here and there. Due to his small size, there was a chance those falls wouldn't hurt him. The small ledges stuck out from the steep cliff like small fingertips but they seemed to be quite treacherous in many spots. Even then, Petrie gulped and prepared to jump to the first ledge. The drop was a long one but Petrie did his best to slow down the fall.

 _Just don't fall… A few more meters… My wing hurt so much!_

Petrie dropped to the small cliff with a considerable speed but, as he had hoped, it didn't hurt him at all due to his attempts to slow down the fall. Still, it didn't earn many jubilations from the flier as he looked downwards. He had hardly passed a tenth of the total distance with his first jump and there seemed to be at least eight more of the drops left. Petrie looked at the sky in melancholy, at this point ready to give up quite a bit to once again be able to return to the bluish hue. However, his mournful thoughts were interrupted by a call from above him.

"Be careful, Petrie! You don't have to go that way!" The flier quickly turned his gaze upwards and, to his surprise, he saw Hider look at him. Petrie was more than happy to see him but why had he decided to seek out him now? The flier turned to look at the bigtail with a questioning look and asked him carefully.

"Why… why not? Petrie can't see other ways down! And why you tell me this? Petrie thought you wished me leave as quickly as me could!" Petrie wished to know if there was more to these "bigtails'" attempts to hide from him and the other outsiders than they had wanted to tell. Anyway. the flier stood still and waited for further instructions Hider would wish to share with him.

"That's not important for you to know but there's an easier way you should seek out! If you can get to the side where I'm standing now, you'll find a tunnel that leads a long way downwards! Go find it!" Hider said while he moved away from Petrie's sight but he could still hear the smaller dinosaur's voice. The flier looked a bit confused by this turn of events but he decided to listen to his helper. What reason would there be for him to trick the young flier at this point?

Petrie grabbed the rock near him as far as he could and the small grooves in the cliff provided him with enough foothold to avoid dropping down into the faraway ground. Even then, Petrie's advance was extremely slow and it took a long time for him to reach the spot Hider had shown him. It was a joyful sight for the young flier when a small hole appeared in the wall next to him. Petrie moved inside the newly-found tunnel and he was stunned to find himself face-to-face with his benefactor.

"I'm glad you found this place, Petrie. You may pass through our home this one time." Hider spoke in an approving voice, his expression much more relaxed than it had been during their first meeting. Petrie was stunned by this turn of events as he had already thought he had seen the last of the small fast runner. Still, Petrie couldn't hide his chuckles of relief when he answered.

"Thanks for showing this easier way, Hider! But… why you only tell of it now?" Petrie knew there was something more the smaller dinosaur wanted from him and he was willing to hear what it was. He wasn't angry at the bigtail but he wanted to hear his explanation. Hider seemed to hesitate for a moment before answering but soon he seemed to come to the realization that honesty was the best policy here.

"You see, Petrie… I have to make sure that everyone who finds their way to me and my family are completely harmless and now I'm sure you mean no ill to me or my children. I had to observe you for a while before I was sure of it… and I'd also like to ask a favor of you, Petrie." Hider's voice was simultaneously serious and hopeful as he answered. Petrie was initially unsure about what was coming but he wished to get this as quickly as he could. His friends were still out there and even if the flier knew there was nothing he could do to help them, Petrie felt frustrated at being here talking to this strange and fearful dinosaur. Petrie was seldom one for rushed conversations but once again the situation's graveness returned to his mind.

"Petrie happy to help but please tell it quick! Me have to get me wing good again as fast as Petrie can!" The flier hoped that Hider wouldn't ask too much as he wished to get this over with. The small theropod had showed him nothing but kindness but Petrie was too distracted mentally to fully appreciate the help he had been given. Hider could see Petrie's distress and for the first time, a small amount of compassion started to appear in his eyes. He could see that the flier had more to him than initially met the smaller dinosaur's eye. Even then, he wouldn't be able to help the young dinosaur no matter what he did. A form of distant friendship was all he could offer at this point.

"I'd like you to promise that you will do your best to keep our home safe from other fliers like you and in return you'll always be welcome to rest here or visit this mountain. There have been many others of your kind around here and sometimes it gets really hard to stay away from their sight. Most of them won't hurt me but some others think we bigtails are their food." Hider asked his young friend who looked relieved by this proposition of mutual help in the future. The small fast biter's offer didn't deserve much hesitation and Petrie answered him nearly immediately.

"Me… Petrie think that sounds good. Me not know those fliers but Petrie try to keep you safe after all you do to help me! Me haven't seen any sharptooth fliers but a group of fast biters be running on the sandy plain below us! Me… me friends in danger because of them!" Petrie turned to look at the opening below him, only the blue sky greeting his sight. The flier sighed deeply, trying to calm down as well as he simply could. Hider, after finally hearing about his friends, seemed even more concerned for his friend as he knew how difficult it would be to lose sharpteeth in that burning hellscape, especially during a storm. Petrie would be more than lucky if his friends had made it out alive from the jaws of the predators. He took a small pause before he answered to the larger dinosaur's words.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Petrie. It isn't easy to escape from a fast biter once they get your scent but such things happen in the Mysterious Beyond as it did to my mate during the last Warm Time. I saw her fall but there's still hope for you, Petrie. If your friends were smart or fast enough, they might still be alive. I hope your friends had some luck with them too." Hider sounded surprisingly relaxed as he recited his personal loss but it was clear that he had gone through a lot to try to get over her loss and to give their offspring the best chances for the future as possible. Petrie's head fell as he heard Hider's words, the flier's mind immediately drifting back to his own father whom he had never known. His mother had told him that he had fallen before his son's birth but she had never told him the circumstances of his death. Petrie had long since accepted that this was a story he'd never learn.

"Me so sorry to hear that, Hider. But Petrie know me friends still alive out there. They far too smart to be eaten by those dumb fast biters! It too long a story but me know this not the end for them. I'll look for them once me wing's alright again!" Petrie knew there was no more comfort he'd be able to give his helper and the smaller dinosaur understood that there wasn't much more he could say to aid the flier. Maybe it was for the best if he'd merely show him the way down the mountain's tunnels.

"I bid you a successful search, Petrie. But before that, follow me. I'll show you the way to the lower slopes and to the green food."

* * *

The footsteps were growing fresher by the second as Ruby sprinted as quickly as she could to find her friend. It seemed like the threehorn had ran rather slowly, most likely because of exhaustion, because the footsteps were slightly uneven in their frequency and their maker was approaching too quickly for Ruby's liking. There were small drops of blood here and there but such small amounts were of no serious harm and pointed to the possibility that the threehorn was probably just fatigued.

A small hope rose in Ruby's mind as she saw another, deeper, ravine opening before her. If Cera had fled there, there was a good chance that she'd found a shelter from her chaser. The small gorge seemed to hold many caves where Cera could have found a refuge. All that was left was to find where she was and to look for the others! The footsteps led deep into the ravine but they were now easier to follow as the wind hadn't even started to erase them in the sheltered gorge.

Ruby felt her hope arise as she realized she was soon about to reunite with one of her friends. Such a joyful occasion would be an immense break from this day of sorrow and fear. The fast runner sprinted towards the cave where the footsteps led to…. and screamed in horrifying shock. All that greeted her eyes in the cave was the bloody remains of a threehorn which were terribly mutilated by the jaws of a sharptooth. Most of the flesh was gone and the corpse was beyond all recognition but Ruby knew exactly who this threehorn was.

"Cera… is it really you? I'm… I'm so sorry for running away! I should have stood with you! No… this cannot be real…" Ruby collapsed to her feet as her mind ran in overdrive. Her friend's destroyed body lied before her and that meant only one thing: Cera was gone forever. And if the threehorn had already passed away, it would be easy to assume that the rest of her friends hadn't managed to escape either. Tears fell from Ruby's eyes as she looked at the fallen threehorn's crushed skull, realizing that she was now the last remnant of the Gang that had only hours before thought they'd stay together always. It was just too much to bear…

How was she ever going to forgive herself for running away in the moment in which her friends needed her the most? She had indirectly caused the ghastly sight before her as there must have been something she could have done to save the others from this terrible fate. The fact that she had called for abandoning Cera only made the fast runner feel more miserable even if she knew she had said that to save the others. No matter what, Ruby knew that her happy Cold Times with her friends and the last part of her childhood were truly over and there's nothing she could do to try to bring it back.

Ruby sat for a long time weeping besides her friend's corpse, not caring for anything except her own sorrows. Was there any reason to repeat this horrifying feeling and search for the rest of her friends or was it better to accept the inevitable and try to create a new life for herself? If Cera, the strongest and proudest of her friends, was gone, so were the others, their bodies lying somewhere else in the endless expanse of sand around her.

Ruby looked at her hands in bitterness and snorted as she realized to whom they belonged to. An enemy of the Great Valley, failure of her family and the betrayer of her beloved friends. So much had gone wrong lately for the fast runner to be able to take it anymore. For the first time in her life, she felt completely worthless, as a villain who was needed by nobody. She had only brought misery to everyone she had loved and betrayed every promise she had made to those she cared about. An endless array of self-accusations dominated Ruby's mind as the evening was slowly starting to encroach upon the Mysterious Beyond.

* * *

"How much longer we go on?" Petrie asked when he felt like he had walked for hours on end. The dark tunnels made it easy for him to move and it took a lot of effort for the flier to avoid crashing into the walls around him. Hider laughed a bit before he gave his answer.

"Actually, we're there in a moment. The opening is just after this turn." Hider said and the next thing that greeted Petrie's eyes was the slowly dimming light of the falling Bright Circle. Before the duo opened a barren plain on which grew some dry but large leaves. On the other side of the small oasis lied a small pond and a stream that brought the much-needed water to it. For the first time since his separation from his friends, Petrie felt a slight relief fill his mind. In a few days his wing should be in a condition to fly once again. The wound had already stopped bleeding and the pain in his sprained arm was finally starting to dissipate.

"This look like a nice place, Hider! Thank you for showing Petrie the way!" The flier spoke as fatigue was slowly starting to encroach upon him. Hider smiled to his friend slightly before he answered.

"You can't have too many friends in the Mysterious Beyond, Petrie. I'm just happy to finally meet someone who doesn't see me as a dinner or as a mere nuisance." Hider's voice carried a small amount of sneer to it but it wasn't directed towards the flier. The world had taken a lot from him but he still appreciated the good that life had brought him. Such an attitude was a necessity for many in those barren lands in order to escape the fear of tomorrow. Each day could easily be one's last so it was necessary to enjoy the present. Petrie took a slightly amused look as he answered to the bigtail.

"Petrie think so too. Thanks for everything, Hider, but me no need to worry about new friends when Petrie's old ones are still out there. Me leave in a few days to search for them." Petrie said with a hesitant look to which Hider nodded in understanding. He was happy to receive some company to color his monotonous life but he understood that Petrie would be on his way soon and right now, he'd most likely require rest. The small fast biter turned around and answered one last time to his guest.

"I'll be here if you need anything before then. I hope your wing gets better soon. See you later, Petrie." The smaller dinosaur then left Petrie alone, for the first time since the storm letting Petrie to relax somewhat. His body yearned for rest but he was still troubled by the disappearance of his friends. The flier walked to the edge of the cliff and eyed the desert below. Not a smallest trace of life could be seen but Petrie knew his friends were down there somewhere. No matter what, the flier would search them out. He continued to look at the horizon for many long minutes until the Bright Circle finally fell behind the horizon, ending this day of misery and disaster. Petrie prepared to go to sleep before he took one, last look into the dark expanse.

 _Me will see you soon, everyone! Petrie been separated many times but we always find a way back! I'd just want to know all of you get away from the mean sharpteeth! Just hang in there and wait for Petrie!_

The flier then walked under the dry bushes, trying to hide himself under their leaves and even in his mental state, Petrie couldn't escape is fatigue for long.

* * *

The darkness had fallen by the time Ruby's mind had finally started to clear out. She had lost all sense of time was she dwelled in her dark thoughts. Cera's voice had greeted her eyes many times during her lonely hours, only making herself feel ever more miserable. In her mind, she was beaten enough that she didn't even know whether she cared about living on in this nightmare. However, Cera's corpse's proximity only made her feel worse and she decided that it was best to leave it behind and try to gather herself elsewhere. She had gone through the farewells in her head already and the fast runner could only form a few words between her desperate sobs.

"Go… goodbye, Cera. You were the best friend I could ever hope for." Ruby wiped her tears once again as she once again burst into full-blown tears. Turning her back on her friend for the very first time was simply too much for the fast runner. In this situation, Ruby was too broken to pay attention to a large shadow overlooking her above the ravine. Two eyes of a predator stalked the young oviraptor as she moved along slowly. A lost youngling would be an ideal meal for him. Still, the beast had to make sure that the young fast runner wouldn't be able to escape from his sudden attack. He prided himself for assaults that no slow-minded sap sucker could escape from.

Ruby could feel her blood run cold as she heard a loud thud behind her. She turned instinctually around to see a full-grown sail necked sharptooth stand in front of her. The fast runner let out a loud cry and tried to search for an escape path. However, all of them were blocked as the bigger dinosaur had prepared a perfect trap for her. There was no way for her to try to outrun the large predator and neither could the fast runner defend herself against the superior foe. There was only one desperate measure left, one that she hadn't used since his arrival in the Valley, at least not in a grave situation like this.

"Please… allow me go!" Ruby knew her words were far from correct but she had never spoken the sharptooth language fluently and even her earlier skills had rusted during her life with the leaf eaters. Her parents had did their best to teach her but Ruby had never been too interested to learn this language. Now, however, the young fast runner dearly hoped she had been smarter back then. The sharptooth's composure changed somewhat but it was still clear that she was in serious danger. The larger dinosaur then answered coldly.

"A fast runner who can barely speak. Why should I spare you, young one?" The sail backed sharptooth stopped his advance to investigate his prey. There was no way for her to escape anyway so he might as well see if the younger dinosaur had anything to offer. Ruby was stunned to see that even her lacking communication had saved her for now. Still, she had to come up with something and quick. It was clear that the sail back wasn't planning to let her go for nothing. The fast runner stuttered unintelligible words before a sudden realization came to her.

"I see footsteps earlier, they would give you more to eat! I'm too small for you to eat, too small I am!" Ruby was somewhat relieved that the sharptooth words started to return to her mind but she was also disheartened by the snort her information earned and disgusted by her own proposition. Here she was, hours after losing her friends, offering innocent dinosaurs to this beast to save her own hide. Even in this dangerous situation, an accusing voice called from her mind.

 _Awesome, Ruby. I'm sure this is what the others would have wanted!_

"I've heard countless such claims before and every time my dinner tries to run away, thinking they can escape from me. I have no patience for such playing anymore." The sharptooth approached a few more steps, upping the amount of threat he was imposing on the fast runner. At this point, Ruby realized all was lost. She prepared to face the end but she tried to make one last, desperate defense.

"Please, don't do this! I've already lost Chomper and all my…" Ruby was stunned to hear her alerted defense being interrupted nearly immediately. She didn't even know why she brought up Chomper but she hadn't expected that statement to raise the sharptooth's interest. However, the answer she received puzzled the fast runner greatly.

"Lost Chomper? You know the son of Dein and Terri?" The sharptooth's voice was unreadable and Ruby couldn't read whether her acquaintance with the young sharptooth was a positive thing in the eyes of this predator. Still, this was the first thing in the conversation that raised his interest and Ruby understood she didn't have a better chance than this. She swallowed deeply before she answered.

"Why… yes, I did. In fact, I was his caretaker for many long Cold Times before I lost him today, perhaps for good. Oh, poor Chomper…" Ruby could feel the grief was once again seeking a firm grip of her mind when she heard the sharptooth's answer. It was a highly relieving one even if Ruby knew that her life still hung in the balance even if she was no longer in immediate danger.

"Maybe there is a chance we'll be able to work together, fast runner. For the time of our cooperation, you may call me Stealth."

* * *

 **Both of our protagonists have realized that they'll have to survive on their own for now, that knowledge making itself known much more harshly to Ruby. How will Petrie's inevitable search for his friends end? Will Ruby's cooperation with her new companion result in another disaster for her or will Ruby learn something that helps her recover from the string of personal tragedies? On a side note, this indeed is the same Stealth I introduced in my short story Farewell to a Changing Land but he is about ten years older now and essentially an adult. The bigtail that appeared in this chapter was a saltopus, a tiny bug-eating theropod. All in all, I hope you found these developments interesting as the main plots of the story are slowly beginning to develop. I look forward to your reviews and see you in the next chapter! :)**

 **The Rhombus: I understand that the events of the last chapter were rather quick and surprising but I hope I managed to tell them in an exciting and emotionally appropriate manner. In a way, it was my intention to leave the reader wondering about what had transpired, even if this chapter shed more light to the reality Ruby and Petrie are now facing. I'll just say that there is more going on here than I've thus far told. :)**


	12. Threats and Alliances

**Threats and Alliances**

Only the Night Circle's pale light illuminated the dark desert as two dinosaurs quickly moved through the dire landscape. Ruby looked at her companion with an awkward expression as Stealth suddenly hastened his pace. The fast runner's mind was only burdened further by the many questions that the sharptooth's arrival had brought to her mind. As if being forced to help a predator on their hunt wasn't enough, there was something about him that made Ruby even more worried. At first she had thought this to be the same dinosaur who had killed Cera but none of his behavior seemed to point to that monstrous possibility. Also, the corpse wasn't too fresh so Stealth would have waited for hours for a new victim which didn't seem likely. The more she thought about it, Ruby came to a conclusion that Stealth hadn't killed Cera but there were still other unanswered questions. Why did he care about her relationship with Chomper and perhaps most importantly, what would happen to her once the hunt was over? The two had marched in constant silence for a long time before Stealth finally broke the silence.

"Where did you see the footprints? I'm slowly getting fed up with this walking." The sharptooth's voice was grim but it didn't carry any immediate threats. However, it was clear Stealth wanted a proper answer and it made Ruby bothered. She had a slight idea where to look for but if she couldn't find them for some reason any time soon, she would be in major trouble.

"Uhh… only a little longer, Stealth. I'm… I'm sure they're nearby." The fast runner hoped from the depths of her heart that she was correct as this was the area where she thought she had seen the footprints.

"You better be right, fast runner. Your kind may be ofen useful but I've also learned that you're seldom trustworthy. Always trying to slither away from your promises…" Stealth answered flatly which made Ruby cringe heavily. She'd have to win the sharptooth's trust if she wished to live through this. Breaking the ice between them would be a good way to start and there was one thing she thought could spark the predator's interest.

"Stealth, how do you know Chomper? You seemed suddenly much nicer when I mentioned him, much more nicer you were!" The young fast runner asked carefully, careful not to make any hasty conclusions. At least Chomper hadn't told of other really scary sharpteeth than Red Claw so maybe there could be a way to survive her journey with Stealth. The sail backed sharptooth initially looked at her dismissively but answered nonetheless.

"I never met that brat himself but I know his parents more than well, to their disaster. You said that you looked after Chomper for many Cold Times but you also said you lost him." Stealth stated with some interest but it was clear that he held no respect for the young sharptooth. Ruby wasn't sure what to make about Stealth's words but they upset her greatly. Stealth looked with an unreadable expression as he saw a few tears flowing from Ruby's eyes.

"He's… he's gone! All of my friends were ambushed by fast biters and I already found Cera's body! All… all of them are dead!" Ruby was overwhelmed by her own words and she was angered to see Stealth's expression. It wasn't definitely one of compassion and it carried distinct contempt for the fast runner. While Stealth held his threatening composure, Ruby could see that his mind was wandering in the sharptooth's own memories. It was clear that he wasn't a stranger to her situation but that didn't soften his stance any. However, parallel to his own arrogant expression, his eyes held another flicker in them: the flicker of ambition.

"If a sharptooth was ambushed by those brainless ankle biters, it serves him just well! It's never a good idea to become friends with sap-suckers anyway. This went bet…" Stealth's words were interrupted by Ruby's greatly angered voice which momentarily surprised the predator.

"Don't talk like that about my friends, sharptooth! They were much better dinosaurs than you or your kind will ever be! I don't care what you'll do but I won't listen you insult my friends like that!" Ruby yelled furiously and she meant every word. She was prepared to help the sharptooth in exchange of her life but she wouldn't let him insult her fallen friends. Stealth looked at her with a hostile expression and raised his head as he answered.

"Do you really think you can stand up to me, you sorry excuse for a half tooth? Do you think you are the only one who has lost someone they care deeply? Things are never easy in this world and I cannot stand whining about things you cannot change! I gave you the chance to survive until the dawn and I trust you still wish to take it!" The last sentence was mostly a statement as Stealth was more than confident that the fast runner was clever enough to make the correct decision. Ruby retained her stand but deep inside, she knew that she didn't care in the least what this brute thought about her or her friends. All that really mattered was her own and her friends' memories' survival. Still, she wished to test Stealth's patience even further to learn more about the sharptooth's true goals.

"I never thought a loner like you would understand anything about these things. I will find the leaf eaters for you but I ask you to stop insulting Chomper or my friends! It was never supposed to end like this…!" The smaller dinosaur's composure started to finally break but Stealth was far from done with the conversation. She had accepted Ruby's offer in order to learn more about Chomper's family and perhaps even to make an offer of his own. Like all sharpteeth, Stealth knew respect came only true dominance but loyalty came only through mutual respect. If she could return the favor to Ruby after the hunt, there was a chance that he might be able to gain valuable ally and to snatch one away from his rivals.

"How do you think Dein and Terri will react once they hear of these news? If they were ready to leave their only child with you, they must have trusted you and your family greatly." The statement was largely rhetorical but it hit the nerve in Ruby's mind. She knew full well what this meant. A family of fast runners who are direct enemies with sharpteeth wouldn't likely last for too long. She could only hope that she and her family were far away before the two predators heard about what had happened.

"You know what they'll do! They… they were the only sharpteeth who thought of as friends and now everything is ruined! But why would you care about what they will do to us? You have nothing to do with them!" Ruby cried to Stealth as the sharptooth started to circle around her with a complacent expression. He revealed his teeth and his eyes widened in clear agitation. Ruby begun to back down slowly as she feared that she had agitated Stealth somehow. When he started to speak, the sharptooth's voice dipped with poison and bitterness.

"I have everything to do with them, actually. You or other sap suckers wouldn't know it but me and most of my kind once lived from the Woodlands of Plenty or, as they're called today, the Land of Mists. Back then, we had everything we needed: shelter, food and a home. However, everything changed when that cursed rain started and continued for weeks on end. Our own land turned against us and all of our food escaped from there before us or were eaten by the new sharpteeth moving in with the water. I was almost eaten by a bellydragger myself!" A clear hatred burned in Stealth's eyes as he spoke. Ruby was stunned to hear of his original home as she had heard of it both from his friends and parents. It was an age-old paradise that had served as a home for leaf eaters as far as anyone could remember. It had also lured in many sharpteeth but they weren't enough to make the dinosaurs leave their fertile land. Ruby looked at Stealth in surprise, not expecting the sharptooth to be from that lost paradise.

"I… I'm sorry to hear about that. I've heard from my friends that it was once a beautiful place but you weren't the only one who was forced to leave. My parents tell that it has been the only place in the whole Mysterious Beyond to have been a home for dinosaurs for too many generations for anyone to remember. But… but what does that have to with Chomper or his parents?" Ruby was a curious soul and she would have loved to hear what Stealth knew about his old home's tales but she knew she wasn't on good enough terms with the sharptooth to speak about such things. He would tell what he wanted and Ruby would have to stick with that. Stealth snorted in clear annoyance as he heard Ruby's last question. He had already told his companion quite a lot but there were things he wouldn't share with the fast runner.

"Let's just say that they made my life a living hell when we left the Land of Mists. Chomper hadn't been born yet and we weren't even close to their territory but that seemed to mean little for them. That's all you need to know, young one. Let's just say that I've got a few things to settle with them." Stealth concluded vaguely, his eyes slowly starting to calm down once his mind started to relax somewhat from the intense hatred that had been apparent in them earlier. Ruby frowned as she heard his answer. The sharptooth's behavior was getting on her nerves but, to be fair, her family's relationship with Dein and Terri had been far from pleasant either. The two were always demanding favors and their attitude towards her parents was just as grim and arrogant as Stealth's was towards her. With Chomper gone, she didn't feel a real reason to stand up to the sharptooth's revenge.

"I… I understand, Stealth. They helped us many times but now that Chomper is no longer here, he is no longer here to bring our families together and in that case, we will be enemies! Chomper wouldn't have wanted me to say this but my family will never be safe if they hate and chase us! Not that I'm sure my family is safe even now. They weren't back home when I lasted were there." Ruby pondered in growing desperation. Once again, she was willing to sacrifice one piece of her and her friends' past in order to try to help her lost family. This made the young dinosaur cringe heavily at her own actions but she knew a fast runner wouldn't be able to keep her hands clean forever. Nevertheless, the whole situation was taking its toll on her. _Why can't things ever be simple anymore!?_

"Alliances and pacts change all the time, young one. You may think there are permanent bonds between dinosaurs but in the end, every deal you make is only an alliance of convenience. I thought that your pact with Dein and Terri might be about to end soon and that's exactly why I was interested about Chomper in the first place. I knew he was being raised by some pitiful sap suckers but the news you brought me opened new possibilities. Perhaps I would be able to help you and your family against Dein and Terri in the future." Stealth said oddly and even if his words once again angered Ruby, she knew he had a point. She would never be able to explain this to Chomper's parents and she couldn't afford to pass up another potential ally. However, Stealth was still a stranger to her and making an alliance with someone you couldn't trust would most likely end in a disaster. She would see this hunt to an end to see whether she would proceed with Stealth's proposition.

"I'll think about it, Stealth. I still w… Hey, there they are!" Ruby said as he started to run forward until she stopped again. She would have wanted to collapse to the ground at the mere relief of finding the footsteps again. They had nearly disappeared and they were barely visible but the vague silhouettes of them could still be seen Stealth ran after her but his expression turned sour once he saw the footprints.

"Threehorns?! Of all the bark breaths, you had to lead me to the threehorns' trail?" Stealth asked in annoyance as he sniffed at the ground. The smell was vague but he had no doubt he'd be able to track them down. However, he knew full well how dangerous a full-grown threehorn could be, especially if they moved in a herd. This development didn't please him at all. Ruby was extremely bothered at the revelation but her answer was interrupted before she could open her mouth.

"I have no choice but to chase them but this was your idea! You will help me in this hunt and ensure that it is a success!" Stealth hissed in clear annoyance. This was one thing he had hoped to avoid but then again, a threehorn would provide him with more food than the small fast runner could. In a way, this was a challenge that would be useful to hone his skills and to once again show that no leaf eater would be able to stand against him. Ruby gulped as she heard the command, full well knowing that a threehorn could slay her in a matter of seconds. She stuttered as she answered to Stealth.

"But… but what can I do? I'll be smashed before I do anything, regardless of what that anything could be!" Ruby knew that it wasn't exactly true as she knew that her parents had often worked together with sharpteeth. There were many ways how a fast runner could make herself useful in these situation, even if she hoped Stealth wouldn't know that. However, it soon became clear that her hope was misplaced.

"Don't talk trash, fast runner! You may not be the most capable there is but you can at least cause mayhem among the threehorns and try to separate one of them from the others!" Stealth answered while looking suspiciously at his companion. He knew Ruby could do more than she implicated, raising chagrin in the sharptooth. Ruby looked at the sharptooth in clear worry but she knew that she had no real choice. With a resigned sigh, she started to follow the sharptooth.

* * *

The situation was a new and horrifying one for the young fast runner. Here she was walking with a sharptooth and preparing to help him kill a threehorn, a kind with which she had spent so much time with. In a way, it wasn't only her coming deeds that troubled her. The things she had seen and felt during the last hours seemed to have drained her ability to give any more understanding to the threehorns. _Perhaps I simply don't have any more tears to shed or compassion to share._ Ruby thought glumly as she saw the footprints fast growing fresher.

The dominating feeling at this point for Ruby was that of numbness. The loss of his friends continued to grip her heart with a cold embrace but Ruby started to be too tired to be overwhelmed by that. At this point, to her concern, the fast runner mostly thought about the coming hunt and the eventual face-off with Stealth. Her mind was working on overdrive to come up with a plan to survive this night and to free herself from Stealth's leadership. The sharptooth looked steadily forward, seemingly oblivious to the things that were moving in the fast runner's head.

However, that was far from the truth. The new knowledge he had gained could prove most useful if the fast runner was speaking the truth. If Dein and Terri's only son really was gone, that would open up new possibilities for the deep-brown sail backed sharptooth if he played his cards well. The two-footers were a respectable power in the Mysterious Beyond but Stealth knew he could take them on eventually. With Ruby's and her family's help, he had every chance to succeed.

Then again, there were other sharpteeth to be considered, most notably Red Claw. Stealth knew that he was more cowardly than most other sharpteeth but his allies and brute power were a force to be reckoned with. There were still many others but Stealth knew he was only one of the countless predators in the Mysterious Beyond and he had no way to spread his influence far from his own territory but he would seek out the justice he was looking for. He would defeat the two sharpteeth who had caused him so much harm and safeguard himself against any further threats from his competitors.

To achieve that, Stealth knew he'd have to gain allies of his own. Unlike Red Claw, the smaller sharptooth knew that trying to impose one's will upon the others wasn't a way to build a safe future and the fast biters weren't too loyal allies. The ankle biters served only their own interests and they would betray their leader the second an enemy promised them more. No, Stealth had a different idea on how to achieve his goals. The fast runners, hidden runners and egg stealers would serve him more frantically if he showed them even a modicum of respect. They were completely helpless before his fangs and claws and if he could only prove that he would treat them even just a bit better than his competitors, he'd earn their trust and help for good. In addition, they could cause mayhem among his enemies and to help him in the coming battles.

The sharptooth looked at Ruby in a self-confident expression. Even with a small gesture he could earn her trust and to forge an alliance with him and in the sharptooth society, as the fast runners very well knew, such alliances were done for both parties' whole families, in essence gifting Stealth with new allies while robbing them from his enemies. Chomper's death made all of this possible and it was highly likely that Dein and Terri would yearn for Ruby's blood sooner or later. If he was lucky, that could give him a cause to rally the rest of his allies against the two grief-stricken sharpteeth. But he was far from ready to do that. There was still a long road for both him and Ruby if they wished to end their menace once and for all.

* * *

Ruby could tell that Stealth wasn't sparing her because of sheer benevolence but there was nothing she could at this point. The guilt-stricken fast runner knew she had lost everything except her family and even after her losing Chomper she knew she couldn't give up because of them. She wasn't about to let Dein and Terri hunt down her family because of her failure. She wouldn't let Arial and Orchid to grow up without their older sister nor would she let the memory of her brave friends fade away from this world. Even after everything that had occurred and despite Ruby's loathing towards herself, there were still things that she couldn't let to come to pass. She would make sure that at least her family would stay of danger. The only question was where were they? The fast runner couldn't even say with certainty that they were alive but it was an assumption Ruby knew she'd have to make for the sake of her own sake. Finding them would be a major challenge but one she knew she's see through. Ruby's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden remark from Stealth.

"They're close. We should start the preparations for the hunt." Stealth's remark was matter-of-factly and it carried no other meanings than the voiced one. Ruby looked at him in puzzlement until a few words from her mother came to her mind. She had once told her that in case green food was nowhere to be found, she'd have to rely on other sources or food, sometimes even her fellow dinosaurs. And once that day came, Pearl had told her daughter to prepare well for the coming hunt. The course of action, the prey's weakness and the possible escape had to all be planned in advance or she wouldn't live through many hunts. Ruby felt nervous as she reflected on the situation as she had never before actually engaged in a hunt. She had always had enough green food, scaly swimmers or snapping shells to feed her but now Ruby knew she couldn't show her inexperience to Stealth. For better or worse, she would have to be ready for this.

"You're right. The threehorns have most probably stopped for the night, for the night they have stopped! If they're asleep, they'll be easier to ambush than if they weren't asleep!" Ruby said in fake excitement, her conscience beating her mercilessly. How could she do this? How could she sacrifice others' lives to her own, even if Stealth had promised to help her? How low could she fall before she'd get even the briefest of respites?

The fast runner shook her head in dismissal. There wasn't any reason to dwell in those thoughts. She had already pledged to help Stealth in this deed and any hesitation would only lead to her death. Ruby looked at the sharptooth as he snorted dismissingly.

"Threehorns are never all asleep, young one. We must stay hidden and plan this thoroughly if we wish to both live through this. There are four full grown threehorns with no children. This hunt seems more dangerous by the minute. I need you to do some scouting before we get to work." Stealth said decisively, knowing that Ruby wouldn't escape now that he had her scent. A fast runner would be an ideal scout for this mission due to her small size and little threat towards a threehorn. However, that didn't calm Ruby down any. She immediately protested Stealth's proposition, willing get at least some concessions from him.

"I can't go in there alone! If they suspect something, they'll crush me before I know what crushed me!" Ruby said in fear as she spoke to her companion whose expression darkened with every word Ruby spoke. It was clear that her protests were getting on his nerves very quickly.

"I'll be in more danger than you'll ever be, kid! You don't have to put yourself on the line trying to fight those beasts so stop whining! If you still wish to question me, consider our pact to be over! Now go, and if you don't return to me soon enough, know that you won't be able to escape from me!" Stealth moved closer to Ruby and lowered his snout to Ruby's level and revealed his teeth. Ruby looked them in fear and fought against her whimpers as she turned around.

* * *

 _What can I even see that would be worth seeing here? Mommy told me only what I should see but not how I would see it!_

The young fast runner walked towards the threehorns, even her weaker sniffer smelling them clearly. She couldn't feel many nuances of them as a sharptooth would but even Ruby could tell that there were two males and females and that weren't worried by their location. The young dinosaur looked over the next sand dune and saw the four threehorns lying there, apparently asleep and possibly complacent about dangers. However, that wasn't an assumption she could base her plan as if it happened to be wrong, the whole hunt would be in jeopardy.

Hardly a grain of sand moved as the young fast runner stalked towards the leaf eaters. Stealth had said to look for weaknesses and the places to strike but how would she be able to tell what they were? None of them looked sick or to be in a dangerous position. They were all young adults and would most likely disembowel both her and Stealth in a matter of seconds if disturbed. The fast runner could almost feel Stealth's suspicions rise the longer it took for her to come up with something. If he knew about her inexperience, there was a risk that he would decide against continuing their pact.

 _Hmm? Did the female on furthest away from me rasp? There it is again! But why…_

Ruby moved closer to her, realizing that the threehorn seemed extremely exhausted, her breaths being heavy and her whole body much limper than the other ones'. If she was correct, this one wouldn't be able to escape with the others in case of an attack. But that left one more question unanswered. In what scenario would the others abandon one of their own? Ruby suddenly felt extremely guilty as she thought about her own deeds. She was about to cause the very same heartbreak to the three other threehorn that she had just experienced. Despite those thoughts, the fast runner forced herself to act. Stealth was waiting and she would earn her freedom was that threehorn had fallen. She would do this for her family, the last ones left in this world she cared about.

* * *

Greyhide stirred slightly in her sleep as another, more forced breath moved through her bone-dry throat. None of her companions had eaten or drank in days but for some reason, she was the most severely affected. The small group had been banished from their herd two weeks ago for daring to propose their migration into the fertile paradise called the Great Valley but, as was a custom with threehorns, their leader had rejected the plan. As the four had continued to insist on their point, they had been banished from their herd in the middle of large bog to the west but that hadn't dispirited the four threehorns. They had decided to seek out that land and turn their back on the herd and everything they had known before. However, Greyhide was quickly starting to question their decision.

All four of the threehorn were starving and there was still no sign of the wondrous Valley. The farwalkers' tales had told that it had lied somewhere to the south, embraced by many deserts and a line of fire-spitting hills which the dinosaurs living there called the Smoking Mountains. However, those directions were vague and Greyhide knew she wouldn't be able to move on for long if they didn't find something to eat. She wasn't even sure whether she'd be able to see the next evening at this pace.

The fatigued threehorn turned to her other side with great effort and prepare to return to sleep when she saw something unexpected. It could have been just a shadow but she could have sworn that she'd seen a young dinosaur running up the hill somewhere. This development puzzled her somewhat but it didn't worry her too greatly. It was most likely an egg-stealer or a fast runner and neither of them would be a threat to her or her companions. It was most likely just some harmless child who had gotten lost in the wrong place. Greyhide closed her eyes to return into the realm of sleep but her disgusting feeling of starvation hindered those efforts greatly. With an annoyed reaction, she realized that the sleep wouldn't return to her for a while.

* * *

"And how do you expect me to get my claws on that weakling if her companions are there to protect her? Even if she cannot fight, that still leaves three!" Stealth said in disapproval as she looked at this fast runner. She had found many good details they would all be for nothing in case he wouldn't be able to use them. Ruby looked at him in annoyance and answered immediately.

"I know that! My life depends on this and I wouldn't make such a mistake, such a mistake I wouldn't make! I've thought about this and I believe there's way we might scare the others away!" Ruby said firmly, not willing to listen to Stealth's comments right now. She wished to get over this night and Stealth was slowly getting on her nerves anyway. Stealth snorted before he answered, still somewhat oblivious to what Ruby had in mind. However, he was relieved to hear that Ruby wasn't as useless as he had initially thought.

"Scaring a threehorn that badly isn't easy. Even if I attacked them in surprise, they would still stick together. The threehorns aren't only dangerous but they're also too stubborn for their own good. We might have a chance if we could make an impression of a larger group of sharpteeth but it won't be easy. Is the place good enough for such a bluff?" Stealth asked, his mind quickly starting to come up with an idea on how to surprise his prey. The threehorns might be stubborn but they also understood the futility of fighting a lost battle. They would likely be willing to leave their starved companion if they thought they were fighting a losing battle.

"I think so. We should succeed if we follow these few ideas…"

* * *

Stealth looked at his surroundings in an unsure look. The fast runner's plan was reckless and it would take a great deal of confusion among the threehorns. He was far from happy with the knowledge that if the threehorns called the duo's bluff, he wouldn't a chance against the four leaf eaters. He didn't question Ruby's idea but there were so many things that could go wrong here.

Stealth had stationed himself behind a few, high sand dunes on the eastern side of the four dinosaurs in order to remain unsmelled as long as possible. Ruby was near to him, trying to create first impression of threat and she'd later give way to Stealth to divide, the threehorns, once again giving Ruby a chance to deepen the chaos with the right combination of voice and shadows. Stealth truly hoped it would succeed as a failure wasn't an option. The sharptooth knew this was a risky gamble but it was the only thing for him to gain new allies.

* * *

Ruby wasn't much more trustful of her own plan and part of her wished that it wouldn't be a success. The preparations for the hunt had somewhat eased the burden of today's events but she knew they would return stronger once she would be left alone. She had spent so many years seeing herself essentially as a leaf eater that she had almost forgotten what life was truly life in the harsher realm of Mysterious Beyond. Even back when she had lived there, her parents had taken care of nearly everything for her, letting their daughter to enjoy her childhood while it lasted. Now, she was alone and living the same life both of her parents had been forced to in the past. The life of painful decisions and shameful alliances that would ultimately overcome her if she wouldn't be able to become the master of her own decisions and emotions. A fast runner couldn't afford the luxury of choosing her allies or trying to live by any noble ideals. Her parents had often been stressed or saddened without end but the younger Ruby hadn't understood the full reasons for their internal conflicts. Now she knew.

This night would be the first one of such occasions. Engaging in an active hunt had been something she hadn't even contemplated in the last three years but now she knew what it took to survive in her new and true life. It was something Ruby despised greatly but there was no reason to whine about it. Only one question remained: would the whole society of leaf eaters be closed before her or would she find the courage and opportunity to strike a balance between the two worlds she now found herself in?

 _It doesn't matter now. As long as I get out of here while I'm still alive, I should be happy with it!_ The fast runner started to walk towards the leaf eaters and prepared to start her part of the hunt.

* * *

Greyhide was just about to fall to sleep again when a small scratching voice reached her ears. But just as with the young dinosaur she had seen earlier, this wasn't enough to raise her alarm. However, it distracted her greatly and those annoying interruptions would make sure that the next day would be a living hell for her. The threehorn tried to immerse her thoughts on the last time her herd had been in a large, green land that granted enough green food for everyone. Even if she knew that her herd had been that of farwalkers, Greyhide also found it hard to believe she had voluntarily left that fertile paradise. If she would ever reach the Great Valley, she knew she'd never leave it again.

Sleep was slowly starting to reclaim her dreamy mind when a loud call awakened her once and for all. It was a massive boulder that had dropped near her from a nearby cliff, nearly crushing her under its weight. The next voice put all of the threehorns in alert. A cry of a hungry sharptooth.

"Put up a line of defense! we won't let a damned sharptooth scare us!" One of the males yelled as they moved to a formation where they'd defend one another from harm. No sharptooth could penetrate that defense alone and the threehorns knew it.

* * *

As did Ruby. The fast runner knew that the boulder would make the leaf eaters believe there was a full-grown sharptooth near her position even if Stealth was already moving to a different position. Now would come the most dangerous and risky part of her plan. She'd have to make an impression of a sharptooth herself as Chomper had done so many times in the past. Of course, her old friend had the advantage of actually being a sharptooth himself. The omnivore would have to be very quick and careful with her impression.

The fast runner moved between the Night Circle and the threehorn in order to paint a highly twisted sight of herself. Ruby spread out her clawed arms like a sharptooth would and did her best to hide her crest from sight. Ruby used all of her knowledge to minimize the actual attention the threehorns would give to her and maximize the impression of her long shadow looking like a featherhead sharptooth's. Ruby also growled as deeply as she could, trying to copy the speech patterns of the sharptooth language. The fast runner could see Stealth looking at her, implicating that it was time for the attack itself. Ruby took a deep breath and started to slowly run towards the threehorns.

* * *

"Why is it attacking so slowly? And why does its claws look smaller than they should? What…" The threehorn's question was left unfinished as Stealth suddenly charged at the four threehorns when their gazes were transfixed on Ruby's suspicious form. However, forgetting to mind their surroundings was the one mistake that cost them dearly. The dune where Stealth had charged from was very near to the lead eaters and they stood no major chance before the charging sail backed sharptooth. His teeth sought out their target very quickly.

Determined eyes were fixed on the advancing predator as Greyhide raised her head against the larger dinosaur. She started to run forward as if to charge but Stealth knew this was only a bluff. The sharptooth could tell immediately that a pure unthought attack wasn't something any sensible leaf eater would do. Stealth realized that she tried to make him fall to a serious mistake and to outmaneuver him before he could recover his composure. _Stupid leaf eaters! They always fall for the easiest of tricks!_

The two dinosaurs faced each other in a quick but decisive encounter. Greyhide was surprised to see the sharptooth unaffected by her attack and the threehorn knew she was in no position to attack the predator due to her fatigue and the sail back's larger size. Trying to bluff her opponent long enough for the others to save her was her only way to survive and she put on a more defensive posture. Her attack had stopped for now.

The sharptooth knew that his window of opportunity was narrow and that he'd have to end the fight in seconds if we wished to avoid the others' attacks. The predator wasted no time charging against the threehorn, and to his relief, he could see that the fast runner had been right in her observations. The leaf eater was too weak to put on a real defense against him. Stealth quickly kicked and clawed the threehorn's front legs and quickly moved to attack her sides.

The smaller dinosaur knew her position was dangerous and probably lost but she knew she'd have to do one last attempt to save herself. Her companions deserved that she'd give her all to their cause and a chance to kill the sharptooth for his deeds. Greyhide had seen many of her packmates fall in the claws of the sharpteeth in the past but such a fate wasn't one the threehorns feared. They held the view that everything that would ever be ended when the threehorn took his or her last breath and after that, nothing. Their kind regarded bravery and loyalty as the most important traits in a herd and few of them actually thought about the price of those actions. If nothing happened to them in the case of the ultimate sacrifice, then there was little reason to try to escape it. But that didn't mean that even the threehorns were looking for trouble: there was little reason to continue fighting lost struggles. Greyhide knew she had been nothing but a burden to her companions and now she had at least some chance to prove herself right.

A restrained cry could be heard when Greyhide threw all efforts in defending her sides aside and she aimed at Stealth's leg instead. A screaming pain emanated from the threehorn's belly but, to her relief, her plan had worked. Stealth fell to the ground with a loud thud but that didn't keep the sharptooth down for long. Just long enough for the three other threehorns join the fight. Greyhide might be seriously injured but with any luck, the sharptooth would pay for his deeds.

* * *

A conflicted pair of eyes followed the scene in worry. Ruby knew that this would be her chance to escape and to abandon the arrogant sharptooth to decide his own fate. There was little chance for Stealth to be able to both fight of the threehorns and to track her down before those tracks would be wiped out for good. The predator who had forced her to this sickening deed deserved nothing better than to fall at the hands of those he had worked so much to hurt. Ruby was a loyal and understanding dinosaur but Stealth's deeds raised great apprehension within her, even to a degree that she no longer cared whether he lived or not.

Even then, there was still a good chance that Stealth could fight his way from this dangerous situation and in that case it would be clear that he'd hunger for blood. Moreover, Chomper's parents would still be a major threat to her own family and there was no way they'd be able to face Dein, Terri, Stealth and Red Claw and survive for many Cold Times. Those sharpteeth had very little in common but all of them would be out for her family's blood, a scenario that wouldn't end well for the half teeth. Stealth was the only one who would be able to provide them with even a promise of safety. With luck, his other allies would do the same and the fast runners might have some hope of surviving even in the longer term.

But what could she do? She had no way to help Stealth in the fight and it was highly unlikely that the threehorns would buy her shadow as a threat again. Ruby frowned as the precious seconds flew by without her doming up with anything that would help Stealth who was increasingly being pressured by the furious threehorns. However, the answer came to Ruby just as she was about to accept that there was nothing she'd be able to do. Perhaps there was a way she could maker them chase her instead if she insulted their pride badly enough or at least buy time for Stealth to escape? Perhaps there was no way to beat a threehorn in fight at this point but it was easier to hurt one of them mentally anyway. It wasn't long before Ruby had reached the hearing distance. Stealth was clearly planning a counter attack to get rid of his opponents when they heard a young, feminine voice call from behind them.

"First you sleep so deeply that we can attack you right away and then you turn your back on the unknown? It's no wonder that one of you won't see the Bright Circle's next rise!" Ruby felt sick at her own words but she had made her decision. She could only wonder how terrible it must feel like to hear jeers from others when your friend was in serious danger. Even then, to her chagrin, the threehorn didn't seem to pay her any heed and they continued the fight. Ruby knew that she'd have to get more attention to herself even if she knew the full danger she was putting herself in. She moved closer to them and upped the insults she was throwing at them.

"I could sneak around you and find all of your weaknesses without you even noticing! I always knew threehorns were slow-minded, good-for-nothing brutes!" Ruby fought back against the things that rose to her mind with those words. _I'm sorry, Cera, but you wouldn't understand, understand you wouldn't. I'm just glad you never had to see me like this_. To the fast runner's relief, the closest threehorn to her turned towards her and growled in cold hatred.

"Once we've disposed of your master, you'll be the next, despicable child-murderer! I don't know what you're doing with a sharptooth but I'll make sure that's the last thing you'll ever do!" The larger dinosaur then turned to face Stealth again who looked at Ruby in anger. For all he knew, she could be trying to plot against him by the minute.

"Stop talking with them! The weak one is already fading and we must only get rid of these others at this point!" Stealth said to Ruby who knew she didn't have the time to speak with the sharptooth right now. Her plan wasn't working as intended and there was only one thing she could do at this point to save the situation: to become a threat herself. And there was only one candidate for her to even have a chance to harm: the wounded, poor Greyhide. Ruby quickly ran towards her and before anyone could see what was happening, Ruby jumped to her back, revealing her claws which could wound a leaf eater even if they were a far cry from those of the sharpteeth. However, while Ruby was helping Stealth in this bloody deed, she wasn't going to bring harm to the threehorn herself. The impression was enough.

"She's trying to attack Greyhide! Prevent her!" The threehorn to her left called and two immediately moved to help their companion. Ruby quickly jumped off and ran away but the fuss opened an opportunity for Stealth. He kicked one of the male threehorns to the ground and went for his neck but the threehorn managed to parry the attack with his horn. However, a deep wound opened to his throat even if it missed the major arteries. He would live if he could escape now. The other threehorns could see that Greyhide wasn't able to run anymore and one of them called to her in panic.

"Get up and run, Greyhide! We cannot win with just two of us! We must escape, now!" The threehorn called but Greyhide knew it was over. She had lost too much blood already and she slowly collapsed to the ground. Her voice was slowly weakening as she answered.

"Just go, Taren! I would have just slowed you down! Go and find the Great Valley! I'm… I'm happy you could reach it!" The other threehorns looked at their companion briefly before they nodded and left the female into the mercy of the powerful sharptooth and the sneaky fast runner. Ruby looked at Greyhide in grief and sympathy and walked to her side and spoke briefly.

"Thank you, Greyhide. I know it's hard to understand but you've given new hope to me and my family. I never wanted any of this but… it … just happened. I wish it hadn't." Ruby concluded sadly, not expecting the threehorn to understand. She just wanted to show that she cared and to prove herself that she still realized what things were important to her at this point. However, she was still disheartened to hear the answer.

"I hope your master gives you a painful death in the end, egg-stealer! I always hated your kind as you were always ready to sell anything for a small price! I…" Greyhide's struggles ended suddenly as Stealth approached her and finished the job he had already started. Ruby looked at the threehorn's lifeless eyes in sorrow when he heard Stealth's somewhat relieved voice in her ears.

"It's good that I don't have to listen to those sap suckers myself. I'm sure it was all…" Stealth looked at his meal in clear anticipation when Ruby's angered voice quickly interrupted him.

"Just stop it, Stealth! Stop insulting things you know nothing about because to insult things you have a good reason! Greyhide was an innocent, feeling dinosaur whose life we just took!" Ruby yelled to Stealth in anger and approached him quickly. A distinct look of loathing could be read from Ruby's face, one that told the sharptooth that he had gone too far. However, there was no for him to show it to the fast runner and he took another step and growled directly at the smaller dinosaur.

"I know full well what we did, fast runner! Do you honestly think we don't think about our food after the hunts? You're right that we don't mourn them or hold any special speeches to them. We know that they were living beings like us sharpteeth and we can only imagine the horror they feel before they join their loved ones in the Great Beyond. The fact that we think give them the respect they deserve and share their strength in our bodies is all we can do for our victims! It is a burden we sharptooth have to live with and if you think we're happy about it, you're badly mistaken but we cannot life in the endless cycle of self-hate!" Stealth looked at Ruby in anger, the duo staring at each other for many long seconds before Ruby sighed in resignation. She had kept her end of the bargain: not it was up for Stealth to keep his.

"I hope you're right, Stealth, as I'll never know what truly goes in your mind. I don't even know if I'd even want to. But anyway… am I free to go now?" Ruby said in utter exhaustion. Stealth looked at her in a judging look, weighing his next moves carefully before he decided to answer with another question.

"Have you considered my proposal…?" Stealth left the ending unsaid to imply that he was finally asking for the fast runner's name. It would be obligatory for any allies to know each other's names and Stealth knew this was the moment for the younger dinosaur to accept his alliance or leave as a stranger and adversary. Ruby looked at Stealth for a moment, loathing the sharptooth greatly but she knew her situation hadn't changed any. Stealth was an ally she couldn't pass up.

"My name is Ruby and I agree with your offer, Stealth. I'll help you if you ever need help in your journeys." Ruby's voice was dry and it carried no major enthusiasm. Stealth saw all of this of course and he gritted his teeth in disappointment at Ruby's antics. Still, she had accepted the alliance and that was all that mattered at the moment.

"Very well, Ruby. As a thank you for your support, I promise to defend you and your family if you'll ever be threatened by another sharptooth. As a mark of our alliance, let's share this meal together as newly-formed packs do." Stealth was ready to turn when he heard something surprising from the fast runner. Ruby cringed heavily at the proposition and turned her head away in disgust. She might have helped in this cold-blooded murder but she wouldn't fall to such kind of barbarity. Her kind may be able to eat both green and red food but that was a step Ruby wouldn't take, at least not like this.

"I won't, Stealth. I've already done things today that I'll never forgive myself for but that's something I won't do. The threehorn is all yours. Farewell, Stealth." Ruby was about to turn around when the puzzled voice of Stealth reached her ears. The fast runner wanted nothing more than to free herself from the sharptooth's companionship and she merely stopped to listen to the larger dinosaur.

"I have something to tell which is of interest to you. You told me before that you don't know where your family is." Stealth said cryptically, those words chilling Ruby greatly. What did Stealth know about his family unless… The fast runner turned around immediately and answered in a frantic and hostile voice.

"Don't say that they're… If you laid even a claw upon them, you'll pay for it!" Ruby yelled in a loud voice to which Stealth simply smiled in an unreadable way. Ruby's outburst was to be expected but luckily, those weren't the news he was about to tell.

"Don't worry, Ruby, they're alive and well. In fact, I saw them heading towards the east near the Smoking Mountains a few weeks ago. I don't what they were doing but back then I didn't think Dein and Terri's allies' whereabouts would be of much interest. However, I thought this would interest you greatly." Stealth continued to smile in slight complacency as Ruby's expression relaxed immediately. The fast runner was more than relieved to hear that at least her family was still alive after the shocking emptiness in the Hanging Rock. She didn't even know what she'd do if they, too, were gone. With a deep sigh, she answered to the sharptooth.

"Why did they go without telling me? Where were they going? Were Arial and Orchid okay?" Ruby asked without giving much thought to her words. It was obvious that Stealth wouldn't be able to answer to those questions but the words came without thinking but even then, there was no harm in asking. Stealth snorted slightly as he answered, not willing to be questioned like this.

"As I said, I didn't pay them much attention but I did recognize them. I know all of enemies' friends because it will become a useful knowledge in situations like these. That is all I can tell, Ruby." Stealth said in a final and dry voice. it was clear that the audience had ended and Ruby nodded to the sharptooth before she answered.

"Thanks anyway, Stealth! Thank you for telling me this. At least now I know what I'll do. I hope you have success in your hunts." Ruby said, trying to improvise some kind of parting farewell to the sharptooth. Stealth answered shortly before he turned away from the fast runner.

"Remember our alliance, Ruby. It may be needed sooner then either of us expect. But until then, safe travels, young fast runner. I hope you'll find your family." With those words, Stealth finally turned around and moved to enjoy his meal. Ruby herself was starving but she still decided to fight her primal urges. Eating another dinosaur wasn't something she'd do this soon after losing her friends. She had already shamed their memory by helping the sail necked sharptooth in this hunt.

Still, Ruby looked at the slowly lightening sky with some relief. The storm was over and she was free from Stealth's tyranny. And most importantly, she had finally learned that her family was alive. Ruby knew she had lost far too much tonight, her friends, much of her self-respect and her whole former life. That realization gripped the fast runner's heart heavily and she knew that pain would never leave her chest. Tears started to fall to the ground as Ruby once again relived the most terrible moments of her life. She would never forgive herself for losing Chomper and her dear friends in the manner she did.

However, the knowledge that her family was still alive was slowly awakening her hopes again. She would seek them out and help them survive the coming revenge of the grief-stricken sharpteeth. There was still something left for her to defend and she'd see her duties through before it would be time to contemplate her future further. The choking panic that had gripped her throat for these past hours was slowly starting to wear out as the warm morning winds met her feathers. Whatever happened from now on, it could only be an improvement from the horrors she had just lived through.

* * *

 **Ruby has managed to free herself from Stealth and she has learned that at least some of the dinosaurs dear to her still live. But tracking them down will not be an easy task and Chomper's parents' enmity isn't likely to help. Will Ruby succeed in her search and manage to start rebuilding her life? Things have been rather grim lately but from now on, things are starting to stabilize as both Ruby and Petrie are starting to get used to their new roles in the world. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you in the next one! :)**

 **The Rhombus: I'm glad you found my descriptions about Ruby's reality successful and faithful to the character. The fast runner is having a rough time and it's clear that it's starting to take a toll on her self-confidence. However, it wasn't Stealth who killed Cera. I'm sorry if I made the wrong impression but the sail back arrived to the scene only hours after the threehorn's tragic end. However, the duo's meeting won't be without some conflict as you'll see in this chapter!**

 **Nimbus01: Thank you for your long and extremely thoughtful review! I'm truly happy that you decided to give this story a read! :) I agree that an omnivore's point of view carries a lot of potential for development as does Ruby's character. I thought it would be a good idea to explore the fast runners' and the fliers' relationship to the other species through Ruby and Petrie's eyes and I hope I'll manage to give that premise justice.**

 **You're right about the constant threat that hangs upon the characters. I've occasionally worried that I've taken it even too far at some points but I, too, feel that it's a good way to keep the stakes high at all times. Some moments may have been too sudden or grim but it's the cold truth that anything can happen in the world of the dinosaurs.**

 **Thank you a lot for the tips! There's a lot of room for me to improve and the descriptions certainly are one of those areas! I'll strive to apply them to my future writing! As for Thicknose, I thought he was trying to share some of his wisdom with Ruby concerning her species' usual behavior, not really obtruding to Ruby's life. He might have been too forceful, that is true, but I saw it as a way to help, not to interrogate. Still, I can see where you got the impression.**

 **Once again, thank you for your kind words and interest! Things certainly will get even more dangerous soon and I truly hope you find the next chapters as interesting as the first ones!**


	13. The Search and an Unexpected Find

**The Search and an Unexpected Find**

The morning was aging rapidly by the time the Bright Circle's rays shone into a small cave, gently awaking its only denizen from his deep slumber. The flier's eyes started to open lazily as he started to scour his surroundings, his mind still having a hard time to accept that he was no longer in the Great Valley. Even if he slowly started to come to terms with the idea that he was alone in the Mysterious Beyond, that knowledge no longer came as a wave of desperation as it had initially. Rather, Petrie looked melancholically around himself, these moments of loneliness reminding him how dearly he had loved his life and those dinosaurs around him. He wasn't starving, Hider was often keeping him company and his wing no longer hurt but it just wasn't the same.

Whereas before he would wake up in his own home, surrounded by his family and preparing to face the next day along his friends, now he was sitting alone in an unknown mountain, simply waiting for his wing to heal completely. The harsh landscaped around him was a far cry from the graceful beauty of the Great Valley but most of all, the lack of his friends' companionship brought great sorrow upon the young flier. He was far from used to this loneliness and it was clear that he wouldn't stay here for much longer. Petrie knew he'd have to leave as quickly as he could, maybe even today if he had recovered well enough.

The last two days had been filled with unending concern and intense hoping that his wings would get better soon. In the first morning since his arrival, the young flier had tried to take a small glide but that had only ended in a painful fall to the ground, only worsening his condition. Petrie had felt himself beyond miserable at that point as he was being forced to accept that his friends were likely journeying on without him by the minute. Luckily the pain soon gave way to a mere aching which no longer prevented Petrie from exploring the hills around him.

Unluckily for him, most of the hills were too steep for him to climb so those small, lonely adventures were rather short and uneventful. There was only one instance when the brown dinosaur had seen something of note. It happened in a narrow cliff overlooking a wide plain, not far from Hider's nest. Two sharpteeth fliers were flying around the hills, their eyes scouring the hills in search of something, most likely food. To Petrie's fortune, the small theropod had told him to stay hidden as well as he simply could and the flier managed to stay hidden within the small cracks in the stone, looking in fear as the other fliers flew past him. It was after that encounter when Petrie decided to comply to Hider's counsel and leave further exploring to the times when he had fully recovered.

After that trip, the rest of Petrie's day in the mountains were painfully boring. The young flier wasn't used to staying completely still and just sitting around wasn't something he wanted to do. The last day had almost been a breaking point for him to embark on another trip around but he decided to fight his urges. The entire situation was a torturing one of the adventurous young flier, even to a degree when he felt intense regret at waking up. Still, Petrie knew that this was for his own good. But that didn't change the empty look gleamed in Petrie's eyes as he slowly woke up.

The young flier took a long yawn and rose slowly to his feet. To his positive surprise, his wing no longer hurt and the long, once gaping wound was turning steadily into a scar. It didn't even send shivers of pain through the rest of his body whenever he moved it, bringing a hope of escaping this temporary prison for good upon the young dinosaur. Even the thought of once again rising to the skies was a highly exciting prospect for the brown flier. If he could do that, he would find his friends as quickly as he only could if they hadn't gotten too far in these days of painful waiting. But all of those thoughts were behind one major ordeal. He would have to see if his wings actually were in a condition to fly and there was only one way to find it out.

 _Ohh, Petrie hope me wing's already good again! Me can't wait to find me friends and return home again! They must have run away from the evil sharpteeth, Petrie don't need to worry at all!_

The flier walked to the small plain, willing to test how well his wings would carry him. The flier hadn't tried really them ever since his painful accident in the morning after his arrival so he had no way of telling how well they'd carry him. Petrie took a deep breath as he moved to a tiny ledge in the plateau and jumped from the rock which was so low that even falling from it wouldn't cause a noticeable injury. Petrie carefully moved his right and then his left wind to a gliding position. The fall was too small to make any major conclusions but to his great surprise and relief, Petrie felt only a tiny dull pain in his right wing but and the flier landed without any problems. A wide smile appeared to Petrie's face as he realized that he had managed a small flight without his wings failing him. With high expectations, Petrie climbed to a larger cliff overlooking the entire plain. A fall from here would hurt quite a bit but Petrie was confident that he'd be able to land effortlessly.

As before, The flier's wings spread out, the masses of air stacking against them and making them protrude upwards due to the resistance of the air. The strong winds of the mountains blew against his membrane-like wings but Petrie managed to keep most of the stress on his healthy wing. Despite that, Petrie cringed in pain as the injured muscles started to cry out under the weight of his body. Still, the flier managed to keep his balance and even make a few curves before his legs once again touched the ground. Despite the momentary agony, the brown flier chuckled in great delight.

"Me knew me wings would carry me again! The Warm Time itself help Petrie get better! Me knew we did the Celebration as we had to!" Petrie thought in happiness as he remembered the last time when his life had been on its normal tracks. A lot had happened since then but Petrie knew the Bright Circle and the great fliers of the distant past wouldn't let him down. One way or another, he'd find his friends and things would go back to what they once were, even if Chomper and Ruby's situations would still be unresolved. No matter what, all of that would be decided in the coming days. There was but one test left for him to pass: flying off the edge of the mountain itself. Petrie unknowingly took a few steps back as he looked over the cliff but knowing that sooner or later, he'd have to take the leap of faith. If he failed, a serious injury would be a miraculous outcome but Petrie knew he'd succeed. He took one, last breath and jumped over the edge into the vast nothingness.

The first flapping of his winds was a forced one and his anxious flutters caused by his aching body seemed to strike him off guard. Petrie realized in growing fear that there was a real chance of falling if he didn't regain his poise. The flier instinctually took a plunge downwards to bring himself to a balance once again and immediately entered to a upward current once he was able to. It was a major endeavor for the still-weakened flier but he eventually reached the edge of the mountain again. Petrie took many thankful and deep breaths as he fell to his knees, panting heavily. A joyful expression creeped to the flier's face as he finally raised his hands from the ground.

The young dinosaur understood that he wouldn't be supposed to fly for at least another day but each day that he spent here waiting only weakened his chances at finding his friends ever again. For better or worse, he would leave today. There was only one thing to do before then: to inform Hider about his departure. The bigtail had been invaluable help for him in these past few days and there was a very good chance that Petrie would have starved without his help. It was only fair that the flier would tell him his farewells before the two would part, most likely forever.

"Hider? Where are you?" Petrie called in an asking voice as he entered the bigtail's network of tunnels once again. He still wasn't allowed to visit them freely as his companion wished to live by his ideals of ultimate safety for his children. Petrie looked in the cave in slight disappointment and called in a louder voice. It took nearly a minute before the small theropod appeared from one of the tunnels that led up the mountain. He stopped near Petrie and answered to him in interest.

"What is it, Petrie? Did you sleep badly again?" The bigtail said ironically, reminding the flier for the first night he had slept in the mountain. Even through his fatigue, Petrie spent the whole night whimpering and seeing fearful images about his friends. Hider knew it had been a hard situation for the flier but he hoped Petrie had already got over that night. He was surprised to hear Petrie's confused but excited answer.

"Wha… no, Petrie slept quite well! I came here to say that me think me finally ready to go to look for me friends! Petrie's wing feel much better already!" As an affirmation of his words, the flier briefly took off and flew a quick and fast circle near the cavern's mouth. It was still somewhat clumsy but Hider could still see that Petrie was completely overjoyed by the return of his gift of flight. The theropod's answer was approving and surprised by the flier's swift recovery.

"I'm happy to see that you've recovered already for your own sake, Petrie. If you stayed here for a few more days, there's a chance you would have been sighted by the evil fliers!" Hider smirked to Petrie's confusion but the flier merely nodded to his benefactor's words. He had seen the sharptooth fliers in the distance but they hadn't manage to threaten him greatly yet. Nevertheless, they brought shivers down his spine as they brought Rinkus and Sierra clearly to his mind. While they would probably not eat him, Petrie's mind filled with distrust towards their kind.

"Anyway, thanks for showing me this place! Petrie wouldn't have survived all this if you no help! Me hope you stay well even after Petrie leave!" The flier said quite light-heartedly, remembering that Hider had survived long before his arrival. He would do more than well even without the flier's presence.

"I've survived for so long even after the loss of my mate so don't worry about me. I'll just say that I'm happy I got to meet you. You were the first flier who didn't treat me like dirt." Hider said in an approving voice, genuinely pleased that he had been able to help someone in need. His life had been extremely lonely and Petrie had provided him with another purpose than merely surviving. Nevertheless, the small theropod hoped that he had gained a friend for many Cold Times to come. Petrie cringed at his last words but didn't let them bother him too much.

"Petrie not that kind of flier! Anyway, me must go as quickly as Petrie just can if me wish to find me friends!" The flier said in excitement, hardly able to contain his yearn to get the heavy burden of uncertainty away from his shoulders.

"May the winds be kind to you, Petrie, and good luck on your searches. Whatever you do, try to think like a bigtail and stay safe. I'd hate to hear that you didn't make it." Hider affirmed in a show of sympathy, knowing this was likely the last time he'd ever see Petrie even if he survived his search. Still, farewells were nothing new for the denizens of the Mysterious Beyond and they never got any easier. Petrie turned away to preparing for take off when he turned one last time to look at his helper.

"Don't worry, Hider. Petrie know how to lose bad sharpteeth. As long as you doing good, Petrie will too!" With those words, Petrie started to flutter his wings and slowly, the flier rose from the ground and Petrie started to fly towards the direction where he'd last seen his friends. Hider looked at the flier's departing form, sighing deeply as he admired his guest's youthful excitement. He truly hoped Petrie would be able to reunite with his friends and rebuild his life again. If not, the harsh reality of the Mysterious Beyond would soon extinguish his carefree attitude. Hider looked glumly as the flier disappeared into the blue sky, leaving him stand in the cliff. Once again, he was alone and forced to take care of his family's safety. Petrie's companionship had been a welcome change into his routine but that was over now. With a resigned look on his face, Hider walked glumly into his home again. It was far from easy being a bigtail and forced into this kind of solitude.

* * *

Two keen eyes scoured the distant land as Petrie panted in fear as he looked at the fall should his wings betray him now. The flier's advance was still full of ordeals and slower than it usually would be but Petrie knew his current pace would be sufficient for now. Nevertheless, slight shivers ran down the young dinosaur's spine as he knew he'd have to retain a very high altitude in order to see as far as he simply could. His friends had most likely moved forward without him if they had survived the attack in the first place.

 _Hmm, we were going towards the Big Water but which direction it be? If Petrie remember right, we were going by the mountains, searching for some river. But it not the same river me saw a few days ago from the cliff…_

Petrie frowned heavily as he tried to clear his head. So much had happened during that terrifying day that the way the direction they were going had quickly disappeared from his mind. He had some inklings on which way to go but they were far from certain. Actually, Petrie knew that this search would be highly up to luck and that brought additional waves of concern over the flier's burdened mind. For the first time since his injury, the real depth of this search's hopelessness started to dawn upon the young dinosaur. On the mountain, he had stayed safe in the knowledge that he would get better soon and with it, a chance to rejoin his friends. He had never given actual thoughts to how far the others could have gone during these three days, if they had gone anywhere, that is.

Still, Petrie looked at the enormous scene opening up far below him. He couldn't have accepted the possibility that the realm of flying would have been closed from him forever if his injuries had been more severe than they were. This was the place where he was supposed to be and Petrie couldn't help but feel distinct pride at his ability. The days when he was afraid of his gift had been miserable to say the least, and his friends' help in him conquering his own fears was but first of the countless things that they had helped him with. He hadn't given his ability to fly much thought since those faraway days but now the overall joy of his survival begun to dawn upon him. It wasn't a coincidence that so many fliers thought so much of themselves, Petrie figured.

After being forced into a life of a landwalker, he finally came to a understanding of the world that was robbed from all of his friends and what kinds of deeds he was able to do that his friends couldn't even dream of. He had done many favors to them that needed him to fly but he had never thought of it in more detail. Back then he had simply seen it as a natural state of affairs whereas now he got more context into this difference between him and his friends. In this moment of hubris, Petrie momentarily understood why his uncle had always seen fliers as the best of all dinosaurs.

* * *

Hours passed slowly as Petrie did all in his might to ease the amount of stress had his injured wing was forced to go through. It was rather easy in the normal flight but each and every sudden gust forced him to use both of his wings as a way to recover his balance, bringing another wave of pain through his small body. Every one of those unsavory situations made Petrie cringe as he thought about the danger he put himself in if the wind started to rise again but he knew he had no choice if he wished to cover as much distance as he simply could. Even then, the initial optimism of his quest slowly started to fade away from the way of confused fear.

 _There be nothing down there! Just some ground fuzzies and some other small creatures but no trace of me friends! Oh, where are you all!_

Petrie thought in growing despair as his eyes finally caught something of note. This development, however, brought even more concern to the flier's mind. Five fastbiters were walking below him, looking at the flier in annoyance as this potential prey was far beyond their grasp. Petrie, on the other hand, dived a bit closer to them to investigate the sharpteeth closer. The predators that had attacked him and his friends had been greatly covered by the flying sand but Petrie had got the impression that two of them had been of brown color and three yellow ones but most of these ones were very light-colored for sharpteeth and they looked quite starved anyway. Petrie merely gazed at them and realized that these weren't the same sharpteeth that had been behind the attack on his friends.

However, their appearance was a reason for concern. If there were even more sharpteeth around these plains, it wasn't inconceivable that his friends had met some others of them. Even if they had survived the first encounter with those beasts, that didn't mean that they were even alive. Petrie recovered his altitude quickly and decided to end scouring this cursed desert. If his friends were still alive, they must have headed towards the direction they were going before the sharptooth attack. If he wouldn't find them near the rivers that led to the Big Water, Petrie no longer knew where to look. The Valley wasn't an option as the flier knew none of them would abandon Ruby and Chomper on their last journey together. His options were quickly growing thin and his inner fears ever more profound.

The endless expanse of the desert slowly gave way to a slightly greener plain but it was still highly devoid of leafeaters and sharpteeth alike. Petrie knew he was getting closer to the river and to the first destination of his friends but the flier found nothing that would indicate that any of his friends had ever been here. A cold grip started to squeeze Petrie's heart as the horrible realization started to dawn on him. His friends could anywhere, lost and alone and his chances of ever finding them had grown extremely thin days ago. Had they gone back to the Valley? Probably not because of their virtual banishment and it was becoming clear that things weren't going the same way as he had thought. Either they had lost their way or Petrie himself had gone lost or… or…

Petrie couldn't even finish that thought. He would have to find the others and quickly if he wished to even hope to calm himself down and save himself from this ghastly future. Oblivious to the pain it caused him, Petrie increased his speed and started to look around himself feverishly. Only low hills, dry grass and small ponds greeted the flier's gaze as panic was slowly brewing inside him. Without his friends, Petrie knew he didn't have any place to go until things got better in the Valley again, if they ever did. If he ever found his way back there again… at this point, the poor flier couldn't even say which way his home was. Petrie did his best to fight the growing horror in his mind but he was only partially successful.

Minutes turned into hours as the flier flew desperately forward, around the river and its surroundings, only a few spiketails and hollowhorns greeting his sight. In addition to his internal torture, a growing fatigue started to slow down Petrie's flight. His wing hurt without end and the flier, even in his desperate mental state, realized that he'd have to land or risk falling from the sky as a result of his wings giving up under him. Tears started to form on Petrie's eyes as his legs touched a large rock by the riverside. All the stress of the past days finally gave way to the cruel reality: he was and at least for now would stay alone. It was at this moment when the possibility that his friends didn't survive their encounter with the sharpteeth became a real option. Searching for them could very well be a lost cause, further demoralizing the flier.

What could he do? He couldn't return home at least for a while after Chomper's deed and returning there would only open new wounds and probably end in his official banishment. His friends and family were all the flier had and losing them like this started to quickly break his spirit.

 _Why this had to happen! Why couldn't things stay as they were! Me so sorry for all bad I did, Bright Circle, Warm Time or whatever be mad at me! Just let Petrie find me friends…_

Petrie listened to the sounds of the insects in the nearby bushes and the gentle sound of the slowly flowing river. The voices of the fading Warm Time moved Petrie deeply as he stopped to look at his surroundings. He looked at the small river in the middle of a field of grass, it's waters waved slowly by the tiny breeze that calmed Petrie down somewhat. The flowers were starting to fade away in anticipation of the coming Cold Time but the traces of their bloom were still evident in the middle of this sheltered oasis. This was a beautiful place as long as thing went in the Mysterious Beyond but all of it was worthless if he were cursed to wander these lands alone. Surrounded by the tranquil environment, something finally gave in within the flier's mind and tears started to slowly flow down his cheeks. They weren't as much tears of sadness as tears of resignation. How could he have been foolish enough to believe he'd find his lost friends that easily? It had been so long since Petrie had last been alone and it was a thing he'd never had wished to experience again. The young flier's sobs blended gently into the environment as Petrie's mind dwelled in his happy life that had just ended in the most abrupt and sudden way possible.

However, Petrie wasn't as alone as he thought. Six yellow eyes looked down upon him from the heights, reveling in the flier's sorrow as it gave them a perfect opportunity to end his struggles before he could do anything to oppose them. The predators glided slowly in the heights, willing to affirm that nothing was in the way of the hunt's success. There was no one between them and their prey and each of the beast's knew what that meant. With expectant nods towards each other, the flying predators plunged downwards at their unsuspecting target.

Petrie's thoughts were too clouded by his internal struggles to pay any heed to the threat that was just falling down upon him. It was only when the flapping of their wings revealed their approach that Petrie's eyes turned upwards. The young flier squeaked in shock as he saw the three beasts plunge straight at him. Petrie quickly jumped from the stone and glided across the river before starting to gain altitude, trying to escape from the sharpteeth before they could see where he was going. However, Petrie's hopes proved to be misguided as his chasers flew right after him. The young dinosaur could feel his heartbeat growing ever more frantic when he looked at any potential help from around him. There were no small caves for him to hide in and there was no chance for him to loose the three sharpteeth middle of a plain.

With a sickening feeling, Petrie could tell that the predators were quickly gaining on him despite his best efforts to escape. Unless a miracle happened, his life without his friends would certainly be cut short. As a final effort to save himself, the young flier tried to hide under a small bush behind a rock. Petrie looked in silent fear as the three predators flew above him in confusion, not seeing their prey disappear inside the rare piece of thick vegetation. However, the sharptooth fliers stopped quickly, knowing full well that their prey wouldn't have been able to escape this quickly. With annoyed and slow turns, they turned around and it didn't take long for them to figure out what had happened.

Silent shudders were all Petrie could do as he saw the three fliers approach him. He knew that he was trapped and without any chance for survival. At this point, Petrie couldn't even begin to think why he'd ever leave Hider's mountain only to be eaten a few hours later. Even worse, he had forgotten the small fast biter's advice when the first problems arose. It just wasn't fair for him to lose everything, including his life, in a matter of two days! The flier closed his eyes and prepared for the worst, saying his goodbyes to his family and his friends… until he heard a very familiar voice stop the fliers' advance upon him.

"Stay where you are, fiends! Leave my nephew be, now, and don't come back!" Pterano's form suddenly appeared from behind the predators, the larger flier suddenly beating one of them to the ground. The light-brown flier had managed to get a surprise element to his side but even then, he was a leaf eater and his capabilities to fight were much weaker than his enemies'. Pterano knew he had only one chance to save his nephew. When the three beasts started to approach him, the older flier called to Petrie in a frantic voice.

"While they chase me, fly upstream until you find large rapids! I'll meet you there!" Petrie looked in astonishment as his uncle tried to shake of his chasers in an almost desperate manner. The young flier would have wanted nothing more than to express his happiness at this reunion but he knew that making fuss of himself would help no one. Still, Petrie felt immense relief at seeing his uncle again for the first time in many, long Cold Times. He could only hope that Pterano would be able to lose his two chasers without problems. Even through his concern, Petrie knew he'd have to comply to the older flier's command.

 _Be safe, Uncle Pterano! Petrie can't wait to see you soon!_

The young flier immediately flew back towards the river and started to follow it immediately. Petrie didn't know this land's environment so he didn't have the slightest of ideas how long the journey to the rapids would be. The young dinosaur flew as quickly as his exhausted wings simply could and, to his immense luck, it didn't more than an hour until the flow of the water started to increase. It soon increased to a full-blown rapid, most likely the same one Pterano had referred to. Petrie landed beside the river and sat down in deep concern, counting seconds as his mind started to wander in the most gruesome of images if the sharpteeth fliers would reach his uncle.

However, at least those fears quickly gave way to a feeling of happiness and relief as the lone silhouette of a large male flier appeared in the horizon. His uncle had managed to shake of his chasers and he seemed mostly unharmed. Petrie couldn't wait for his arrival and quickly took off to meet him as quickly as possible. The young flier was the first one to speak as the two fliers approached each other.

"You made it, Uncle! Petrie can't believe me met you here! Those sharpteeth nearly got me!" The young flier called as he flew closer to Pterano. He could see that the older flier was completely exhausted but it seemed like he had escaped unscathed from the surprising encounter. A distinct look of relief and joy could also be read from Pterano's face as he approached his nephew.

"Those villains aren't a match for a true flier! It isn't that hard to lose them, I've done it for countless times already… but what are you doing here, alone? Why aren't you in the Great Valley with my sister?" The older flier asked in rising concern, realizing that his nephew wouldn't wander in these parts without his friends without a very good reason and Pterano knew that answer wouldn't likely be pleasant. Petrie's expression turned considerably darker and he decided that it wasn't a story he wanted to tell immediately. Petrie knew he'd break up many times during it and there were things he wanted to know about his uncle as well.

"It be a long story… and Petrie don't want to tell all of it now. Me just say that… me friends gone and me cannot return to the Valley. What… what about you uncle?" Petrie sniffed as he fought back against the incoming wave of emotions. Even thinking about the past days was painful enough even if his reunion with his uncle helped things a bit. The older flier looked extremely worried by his nephew's words, knowing that something terrible must have happened. Pterano could see that Petrie was broken by those events and it seemed like his friends were no longer around. Pterano's eyes received a haunted look in them as he thought what that had meant. Even if he had mostly been an enemy in the eyes of Petrie's friends, he had learn to respect them, especially the young longneck for his open-mindedness and efforts in finding out the truth in everything. If they were all truly dead, it indeed was a major tragedy for everyone. But most of all to his poor nephew… Pterano's voice was silent and extremely saddened as he answered.

"I'm so sorry, Petrie. Nobody should go through anything like that. They were all great dinosaurs in their own right. They deserved much better than this. We might have been on different sides but I could see that they worked always for the right things. I'm sorry." Pterano moved closer to his nephew and looked in compassion at Petrie who raised his gaze to meet that of his uncle's. The younger flier's voice was slowly beginning to be engulfed in his sobs as he answered.

"Me not know if they dead or not… Petrie was blown away before me could see if the sharpteeth got them. Me try to search everywhere but find nothing! Maybe the evil sharpteeth got them after all!" Petrie started to cry as his uncle moved closer to nuzzle his nephew. Pterano knew that Petrie's guess would likely be the most probable scenario if they were ambushed by a group of sharpteeth. He took a long sigh as he thought about the younger fliers' situation. He didn't know why he couldn't return to the Valley but apparently there was more going on than he knew.

"We don't know what happened back then but you're right about what was the likely outcome. Most sharpteeth are easy to outsmart but once they get you by surprise, it's often over. I've seen it many times in my life… However, I know that your friends were smart enough to have made it a tough fight. Still, there's a chance that they're still alive, Petrie, but we may never know. The necessity of parting with dinosaurs close to us a sad lesson of life that most of us in the Mysterious Beyond have learned." Pterano said in a thoughtful voice as he answered. He knew his words were most likely correct but finding a lost friend in the endless expanse of the world, especially if there was a good chance that they were dead, would be extremely unlikely and required unbelievable luck. Petrie sniffed one last time before he answered.

"Me hope so much that they alive, uncle, but me already tried to find them. But… how are you doing here? You been away for four Cold Times! How you survive here all alone?" Petrie tried to change the subject into a more comfortable one as he had thought numerous times how his uncle was doing during his exile. This wasn't the circumstance in which he wanted the reunion to commence but Petrie was still gladdened by this meeting. Pterano could see the Petrie truly wished to changed the subject and he turned gaze away and sighed deeply.

"Has it already four Cold Times? It has gone faster than I ever thought… Anyway, Petrie, I've done rather well. As a matter of fact, I haven't been alone at all since the first days of my exile. I've found a herd and I've stayed with them ever since. Things haven't always been easy or pleasant but I've managed to live with them for a long time. There are good fliers there but also some… less friendly ones. I was here on a regular scouting trip. You were unbelievably lucky that I happened to be nearby. The others don't care much for outsiders. Whatever you do, Petrie, don't ever again linger out in the open, no matter what! You could have avoided the sharpteeth if you had paid attention to your surroundings! I understand your situation but mourning is a luxury you can't afford out here." Pterano said as he put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. Petrie sniffed one more time before he answered.

"Petrie know that but… it was just too hard. There was nothing else I could have done. Me… me just feel so lost." Petrie said silently, ashamed to appear this miserable before his uncle whom he had once revered so highly. This was the flier who had given him so much inspiration and widened his knowledge of the fliers' past. Even after the search for the Stone of Cold Fire, Petrie had retained his respect for the older flier due to the bravery he had shown in saving Ducky. Pterano's hard composure crumbled somewhat at his nephew's answer but the seriousness of the situation remained. Pterano decided to answer a simple but extremely important question.

"What are you going to do now, Petrie? If you can't return to the Valley, you will have to find a new place to stay." The older flier stated simply, prompting Petrie to look at him with teary eyes. This was the question that he had asked himself countless times but the answer remained as elusive as ever. The young dinosaur let his head fall again as he shook his head.

"Me not know. There no place for Petrie to go now." The flier said glumly, not seeing any acceptable path before him. Pterano looked at his nephew with a concerned look on his face. It wasn't an option he was excited to propose but perhaps Petrie would find his place among his herd? He knew it would take a lot of effort for Petrie to adapt to the strict life by the strict traditions of the fliers, many that he knew Petrie would find distasteful or even cruel. Nevertheless, this was a way for his nephew to continue on from his terrifying situation, one that Pterano would be able to accompany him for some time.

"Petrie… I know you won't find it as pleasant as your life in the Great Valley but… my herd would likely accept you as one of its members. It's mostly a tough life but I've lived with them for many Cold Times and here I stand. Once enough time has passed, we may both return home and there is a chance we may stumble upon your friends if we're lucky but for now, I could help you get accepted as one of us." Pterano said carefully, knowing that his proposal would once again lead to more quarrels with his sister should she ever know about his offer. However, if she had been unable to keep Petrie in the Valley, there was nothing she could say about the issue. Petrie raised his head to look at Pterano, weighing his words heavily.

"Wh… what do you mean it be a tough life? Petrie no like the sound of that!" The young flier knew he didn't have much of a choice but he wanted to know what his uncle was talking about. Any kind of life would be better than to starve alone in the Mysterious Beyond but he wanted to know more about the situation before he'd accept. Pterano looked at Petrie with a bothered look before he answered.

"I won't lie to my own nephew. It's a life of a farwalker with long flights and little food. As I said, most of us are extremely welcoming but there are others who deem power and dominance over other flier herds. They are extremely proud of their supposed lineage from the greatest of the fliers of the past and they believe they have some greater purposes to fulfill. Things would be much easier without them but most of the others respect their positions. Because of them, clashes with other groups of fliers, including sharpteeth, aren't that rare but I've survived this long without major injuries. Still, I wouldn't ask you to join us if I thought you wouldn't survive. But I understand if you wish to try your luck somewhere else." Pterano said, hoping for Petrie to accept even if he knew it would be dangerous. He held little respect for his herd's leaders but Petrie's companionship would help him survive his last year of exile. With any luck, they would be able to return to the Great Valley together later on. Petrie frowned as heard his uncle's answer. His description didn't sound too appealing as he knew little worse than violence. This kind of migratory and unsure wandering simply wasn't the kind of life he'd want to lead. He was about to answer to his uncle when another wave of arguments flowed into the young flier's mind.

Where else would he go at this point? Even in the unprobable scenario that his mother would be able to persuade the others to let him return, he wasn't sure if he would want to do that. The Valley was filled with memories of his times with his friends, serving as lingering ghosts wherever he walked. That, in combination with his own loathing at Dasher and his never healing wounds with the clubtails made Petrie realize that he had no real place to return to. He would explain everything to his mother later but for now, he needed time to calm down.

Petrie looked into Pterano's eyes to determine whether he truly believed if accepting his offer would be a good decision for Petrie but no matter how he looked at his uncle, he could see only genuine concern and the still-lingering joy at their reunion. Petrie sighed as he realized that no matter how stark the contrast between the coming days and the last ones, it would give him a chance to rebuild his life, and in case a miracle happened, to hear rumors about his friends. The young flier's voice was saddened but firm as he answered.

"Petrie has no choice, uncle. Me come with you." The flier answered in a decisive voice, knowing that any farwalkers or-fliers wouldn't accept any burdens with them. Petrie had survived migratory life before and he would be able to do so again. He tried to put on a braver face as he spoke, to a degree when Pterano couldn't help but admire his nephew's courage. He had almost expected the younger flier to refuse but it seemed like the courageous young flier had surprised him once again.

"You've really grown a lot since we've last met, Petrie. You're not the same flier that I left those four Cold Times ago. I can see a lot has happened lately." Pterano said in an unreadable voice, clearly impressed by Petrie's answer. The latter looked at his uncle in an inquisitive look, realizing after a moment that his uncle's words were supposed to be a compliment.

"Me know that, uncle. Me just hope none of it had happened. It seem like we didn't make the celebration good enough for the Warm Time." Petrie said glumly, acknowledging that the older flier's judgement had been a correct one. Pterano nodded at his words, fully knowing the beliefs behind that occasion. He was a highly superstitious dinosaur as were most of the fliers, including his new herd. The older flier answered to his nephew in an appreciating voice, willing to underline the impression the younger flier had brought upon him.

"Regardless of any of that, I'm happy to have you with me, nephew. Let's go find the others." Pterano said, willing to quickly make sure that the herd didn't have any objections on his nephew joining them. He also hoped bring Petrie something else to think than his friends. The latter did his best to make a happier face and his voice was almost cheerful as he answered. In the middle of this great tragedy, it was more than a miraculous relief to find his long-lost uncle here. The thought of their coming adventures brought Petrie a fledgling optimism that he'd get over the recent events. He could only hope the other fliers would help him with that.

"Me too, uncle. Me very happy to have found you! Show where the herd be!"

The two fliers took off, heading towards the west and to the temporary home of the migrating flier herd. Petrie felt better than he had in days but the last question remained: were his friends dead or alive? Petrie took one, unsure look behind him, seeing only the same dusty river and dried landscape that had greeted his eyes before. With a pained sigh and a conflicted feeling in his stomach, the flier turned his gaze back forward and decided not to look back again.

* * *

 **With Pterano and Petrie's reunion, the latter's future has grown a bit clearer but will the flier's introduction to the herd go as Pterano expects? The unexpected meeting is a highly joyful event for the duo but, as Pterano predicted, things will be far from simple or easy for the young flier even from now on. As a side note, beginning next week, my writing pace might become a bit slower but I'll still most likely be able to retain a good schedule even in the months to come. That being said, I hope you liked this chapter and see you next time! :)**

 **The Rhombus: You're correct in assuming that a lot of former lines are being broken as Ruby ventures into the life she was always supposed to lead. I hope I'll continue to do justice to her character development even in the future as things continue to stay complex around her. I'm glad to hear that you find the premise of exploring the life of an omnivore a promising one as it will be a major focus from now on.**

 **Also, thank you for your advice! As always, I'll try to utilize them in my writing!**


	14. The Meeting of Halfteeth

**The Meeting of Halfteeth**

An increasingly chilling wind swept through the dry plains as Ruby continued her trek towards the direction Stealth had said her family had gone. The fast runner was growing tired of all of the running she had gone through during these past few days but at least she had been able to extinguish her hunger with green food. The desert had soon given way to grassy fields which seemed to drag on forever. Ruby was covering good ground every day even if she knew her directions were more than vague. Stealth hadn't been of much help in locating the other fast runners but his advice was all the tired fast runner had. If she ever wanted to reunite with them again, she'd have to hope for good luck on this search.

Her own heavy breaths and the howling of the wind were the only things that could be heard as Ruby stopped for a moment of breather. She had run for hours on end and that took its toll on even her kind. She knew she was further east than she had ever been in her life and that her family could be just behind the next hill or many daytrips away. The choking pain of losing her friends was slowly wearing away even if momentary sobs and continuous sadness accompanied her lonely journey. The lingering guilt of all her deeds since the perilous chase of the egg stealers weighed on her shoulders, making her appearance look more wearied and tired. Still, the fast runner knew she had to push on. If she gave up, she could already say farewell to the last chances of ever finding her family.

As the fast runner's panting grew less profound, she started to investigate her surroundings. The sloping hills covered with slowly waning grass spread as far as eye could see, any sorts of landmarks highly vague in this sight of the waning Warm Time. The Cold Time was coming and from now on the weather would grow more hostile each day. Ruby realized that she'd have to find her family soon as the searching could become too difficult and dangerous in the height of the least hospitable of seasons. The fast runner was about to sprint off again when one small detail in her surroundings caught her eye. _That… that looks almost like a tree! But there shouldn't be any of them here but… if there is, there might be many more! And that means many good things!_

Even if that didn't help her search directly, there might be someone in a forest around here who Ruby could ask about her family. If they truly had come around here, it was likely that somebody had heard about them. Also, the cover of the woods would shelter the young dinosaur herself from the chilly winds of the plains. Ruby quickly took off and headed towards the distant tree and, to her relief, she could see she was right. The shadowy form of a forest's edge opened ahead of her, possibly offering her with something that could help her in this unsavory, lonely march.

* * *

The canopy of the trees rustled as the dry leaves rubbed slowly together. The entire forest was dying, its green food quickly being chilled by the dropping temperature. Ruby looked around herself in disappointment, saddened by the fact that the season was later than she had thought. It wouldn't be many weeks until the frozen sky stars would begin to fall from the sky again. That only increased the urgency of her quest. It was time to see if there was anyone in this forest that could be of any help.

However, it had to be done in silence. Any kind of yelling would draw each and every sharptooth nearby towards her and that wasn't something any omnivore would be willing to do. Ruby started to move forward, searching for the most shadowy of places to hide her presence as well as she only could. Avoiding the fallen leaves was the most challenging part of her efforts as the dry leaves would certainly give away her position if she wasn't careful. Also, she'd have to try to hide her position as well as she'd be able. If she ever met someone, Ruby had to make sure that she would be the first one to notice her counterpart.

Even if the Bright Circle was still high in the sky, the dying scenery of the forest chilled the fast runner deeply. Many of trees started to form threatening images in the eyes of the still-distressed dinosaur and the cold air didn't help any. Occasional sounds of the ground fuzzies or small buzzers often made her turn quickly around to check if any creature was trying to sneak up on her. To her relief, none ever came but this desolate scenery pulled her nerves to their breaking point. All of the recent events seemed to have made her more sensitive to any possible threats.

Ever since her parting with Stealth, Ruby realized that she was constantly alerted by even the slightest of voices or smells from the distance. She hadn't met any other dinosaurs since the sharptooth and she knew it was quickly beginning to burden her down. The fast runner knew that she'd have to conquer her own fears but it was easier said than done. She could never tell if she'd meet Chomper's parents or someone who knew about her last day in the Valley. The loss of her friends and the pact with Stealth had created a situation where she had too many enemies these days.

"Calm down, Ruby, there's nothing dangerous here! You cannot go around fearing everything because if you fear everything, you cannot do anything! Just take it easy!" The fast runner had developed a habit of speaking to herself as it brought at least some change into the endless silence. She had never been this alone before and it truly wasn't what she'd want to experience in the future again.

To Ruby's slight relief, the wind indeed started to die down but the weather was still raw and cold. She gulped and begun to move between the bare trees. The atmosphere of utter loneliness and impending death made a great impression to Ruby who had only wanted to come here to take shelter from the grim wind of the open plains. She was already beginning to give up trying to find any friendly faces around here until she noticed something highly interesting. A few broken branches in the ground and odd-looking formations of leaves around the spot. The fast runner was already ready to see it as a trick of the wind but after a moment, Ruby realized that today's wind wasn't strong enough to break branches. There was no doubting it: someone had walked from this incautiously. Even if Ruby knew that her sniffer wasn't quite strong enough for doing any great or exact conclusions from a waning smell trace, it was good enough to find out something. In the Mysterious Beyond, even those vague details could be the difference between life and death in the absolute worst-case scenario.

 _Hmm… it seems like it was… something quite close to my kind? Not quite but it definitely isn't a sharptooth and if it isn't a sharptooth, maybe I could ask it a few questions! It is maybe a female and it wasn't too long ago when she was here! I'll have to go find who it is!_

The fast runner started to increase her pace as she sprinted towards the direction she thought the other dinosaur was headed. The traces were surprisingly fresh: with any luck, it wouldn't take many minutes until she'd catch the other dinosaur. Even then, she'd have to keep her cover in the case she wouldn't turn out to be friendly: a wrong judgement was always extremely dangerous in the Mysterious Beyond.

The sound of silent steps suddenly ended when Greentail stopped to catch her breath. She had ran for some time ever since her carelessness with the branches near the forest's edge, a mistake that could become costly if the wrong dinosaur ever found the scene and caught her trail. However, it seemed like she was safe for now as no dinosaur seemed to be coming her way. A lucky occasion on likes of which she simply couldn't trust in the future. Ever since her and her brother's separation from their family after the tragic day, both of their lives had been on razor's edge.

The young thinclaw sighed as she reflected on their situation. For now, they had food but that would change once the Cold Time would arrive in earnest. She and Yarel were both beginning to grow desperate in their struggle for life but they should find some place where there would be food even after the coming chill. Soon it would become a real problem to find either green or red food, especially for a duo of young adolescent thinclaws.

"It's almost time to tell Yarel that I've… What's that?" The omnivore asked herself as a sudden voice caught her ear. It sounded like a louder-than-usual thud of a footstep and the voice was coming right after her. The thinclaw cursed briefly as she realized that she had been followed after all. If nothing else, she'd have to hide quickly and hope that the chaser would give up soon. However, if all that failed, she'd simply have to run and hope for the best or fight.

* * *

The small clearing in the forest was completely empty as Ruby reached the spot. To her chagrin, she could see that that the scent trail suddenly stopped, seemingly stopping near the center of this small opening. Cold shivers flowed through the fast runner's back as she realized what that meant. Either she had a supernatural enemy around her or, in a more likely scenario, the dinosaur whom she had chased was near and most likely waiting for her to enter the glade in order to attack. Ruby felt her breathing grow forced as she slowly backed towards the woods and to safeguard her own position. The fast runner's eyes scoured each piece of vegetation around her and noticed nothing out of the ordinary.

With trembling feet, she rose up from her sitting position and begun to advance again. Ruby knew that her counterpart was waiting for her somewhere but on a bright side, she knew that it wasn't a sharptooth. It was most likely another halftooth like her but Ruby knew well that even another fast runner could attack her if he or she was hungry and desperate enough. With careful steps Ruby started to move towards in the shadows.

* * *

"Why did it have to stop? It seems like that beast is really up to something… Anyway, it won't sneak up on me!" Greentail thought as she waited impatiently for her chaser to show herself. The thinclaw had heard the other dinosaur to stop nearby but she hadn't caught a glance at her. The young dinosaur would have wanted to simply turn away and flee but she knew that nothing would prevent her chaser from following her, possibly endangering Yarel also if the other dinosaur should prove a threat. For better or worse, this situation had to be dealt now. One of the things Greentail hated the most was the prospect of unending threat lingering above her. Unfortunately, that had been her fate during these last few months.

The thinclaw climbed over a large rock next to her to see a bit further away. Soon enough, the Cold Time no one would use these bushes for hiding but for now, there was still enough leaves for a small dinosaur to use as a cover. Greentail's eyes scoured each of the possible hidfing places with care but none of them seemed to hide anything unusual. No extra wobbling nor any suspicious shades. A distinct fear started to rise in the thinclaw's mind as she slowly descended from the rock to once again search for her new nemesis.

* * *

Ruby twitched quickly as she heard a few napping of branches in a bush not far from her. It was just near a large rock that was no more than two longneck-lengths away from her. The fast runner's reactions to this development were highly conflicted: on one hand the enemy was drawing close to her without her notice but on the other hand, now Ruby knew that her counterpart couldn't be any older than she was due to her subtleness in moving through these woods. In the best-case scenario, she was only as confused as the fast runner was but counting on that would be a terrifying mistake. Her parents had always told her to remain as unseen as she could until she knew for sure that she was safe. After the recent events, she had finally realized the full wisdom of that advice. Ruby hoped beyond hope that she wouldn't have to resort to violence but that was a threat always hung upon her.

The two omnivores approached each other in silent anticipation, both of them knowing that the situation could turn even deadly at any moment. Greentail was hiding in a small hole in the middle of two trees, small insects running p and down her legs as she covered in respecting fear whereas Ruby was sitting atop a small rock, trying to get a glimpse of her counterpart. At this point, their advance halted as both wished the other one to do the next move. In case the other one would be hostile, both of the females understood that this could be the choice between life and death. Both of their gazes were locked on the positions where they expected the other one to be located. Greentail was slowly growing worried by her location and by the whole hiding game. She knew her chaser wasn't an adult and most likely not a sharptooth but that didn't mean she wasn't a threat. Her urge to run away from her unfavorable position grew by the minute as she realized her mistake at hiding at the lowest place in this place. All either of the omnivores could tell was that there was one adult longneck length between them at the very most.

Ruby felt the moments drag by as her frustration started to silently grow at the overall situation. No matter what, it seemed like the other dinosaur wasn't going to take the initiative and Ruby started to realize that it was now up to her to take matters into her own hands. The fast runner looked around herself and after a moment, she realized something that could give her an opening. A small boulder lied near the edge of a small slope heading towards the hideout of her opponent. With luck, it could cause a small rockslide which would force the other dinosaur to make her move. Ruby smiled in self-confidence as she slowly moved towards the rock, ready to break this mind-breaking impasse.

* * *

The thinclaw didn't know at first what was the reason for the ground starting to shake. She had seen some small movement on the hill overlooking her but she hadn't seen anything clearly. It was only when the form of the large boulder appeared from between the trees when she realized what was going on. Instinctually, the young omnivore jumped from the hole and started to run as far as she only could from her chase. She had given up her position and the other dinosaur had the advantage of terrain. Fleeing was her best chance at this point.

Ruby looked at the fleeing form in surprise and slight embarrassment. This wasn't any kind of deadly killer: it was a thinclaw who was probably even younger than she was. The fast runner had never before seen such an omnivore before but her parents had told her of them. They were a highly elusive, feathered kind who weren't often in good terms with the fast runners due to their similar lifestyles and consequently conflicting roads. Ruby could see that the other female had a similarly slender body to hers and thin but powerful legs, a testament to her great speed. The fast runner could see that the thinclaw resembled her own kind In many ways but it had longer feathers, no crest and a longer but thinner tail. No matter her kind, Ruby was slowly starting to appreciate the fact that she'd decided to chase this stranger. Here was someone who'd probably know what was happening in these lands and with whom she'd be able to exchange a few words. Immediately, the young fast runner sprang after her former adversary in a calmer way in order to drop the impression of threat.

* * *

The leaf-filled ground made Greentail's flight even more difficult that it would have otherwise been in these woods. They constantly threatened to trip her and they forced the thinclaw to decrease her speed in order to prevent herself from falling. The omnivore was alerted to see the other dinosaur beginning to follow her and it seemed like she was gaining on her quickly. With a panicked decision, Greentail decided to increase her running speed to lose her chaser. However, that proved to be a serious mistake.

The thinclaw quickly tripped on a thick mound of leaves which had seemed to be solid ground. One moment Greentail was running for her life and in the next she found herself in the ground breathing deeply in shock. At first, she waited the possible pain emanating from her leg but none ever came. With an overjoyed realization, she noticed that her body seemed relatively unscathed by the fall but the fast runner had nearly reached her already. She was about to continue her flight when she heard Ruby's frantic call.

"Stop! I don't mean you any harm, I just want to talk to you, talk to you I want!" The fast runner called to the thinclaw who seemed to be frozen by this declaration. After all this stalking, this dinosaur was telling her that everything was alright?

"If you mean that, stay there! After all this, I don't just believe that you never wished me harm!" Greentail snorted harshly, prompting Ruby to stop immediately. She could easily relate to her position and even the fast runner felt the lingering chill of the stalking in her bones. It was clear that the duo's instincts would have a hard time forgiving the other dinosaur.

"Al… alright. Even then, it is true, true it is! I simply followed you when I caught your scent because meeting someone here is better than not meeting anyone at all!" Ruby tried to sound lighthearted but it was clear that Greentail wasn't convinced. The fast runner's voice sounded too forced for her to believe it right away.

"Then why did you sneak up on me like a hungry sharptooth? First you followed me and then you stalked around me, searching for the best place to attack and after all this, you seemed to be willing to hunt me down? Do you think I'll just overlook that?" The thinclaw's voice stayed aggressive but it grew slightly less panicked by the moment. Perhaps this meeting didn't have to end in violence after all despite the initial tension between the two omnivores. Ruby looked at her in slight amusement, understanding what had just happened.

"I think you know what we were doing. I thought you were stalking me and possibly lead me to a trap! I tried to keep myself safe while you thought I was hunting you! We must have looked so stupid trying to save ourselves from each other even if neither of us wanted any harm! We must have looked so silly!" Ruby tried to hold back her chuckles but failed miserably. After many days of loneliness and internal conflict, any kind of humor was a reprieve to her taxed mind. Greentail looked at the fast runner oddly at first but she soon realized the situation they had been in. Despite her initial anger at Ruby, she couldn't help but see the same humor in all this as the fast runner did. The two laughed on for a moment as the initial mental barriers they had created for themselves started to break down. At this moment, it was clear for both of the assembled dinosaurs that there was no immediate threat in store for either of them.

"Alright, alright, I guess I have to believe that you weren't after me. What's your name, fast runner?" Greentail asked with some curiosity, eager to learn more about her new acquaintance. She wasn't too happy by this meeting but there were some things of value she could learn. Ruby smiled at her in approval and answered briefly.

"My name is Ruby, Ruby it is! What's yours and what are doing here alone?" The fast runner asked one of the most obvious questions to which Greentail frowned slightly. She hadn't expected the fast runner to ask her these questions so quickly but in a way, she understood the other female's line of thought.

"My name is Greentail but I'm not alone here. My brother Yarel was looking for any shelter for the night in the other part of this forest but he should return soon enough. Our reason for being here, however, is none of your or anybody else's business." Greentail cringed as she answered. She was taken aback by this strangers antics and not exactly in a good way. Still, she couldn't see the harm in being honest as it was highly unlikely that the two would meet ever again anyway. Ruby looked at the thinclaw in slight disappointment but decided to press on with the issue that she had initially searched out the other dinosaur for in the first place.

"I thought so. You don't have to tell anything you don't want to but I'm here to look for my family. Have you seen any other fast runners around here lately?" The young omnivore asked carefully in order to find out if her family had actually treaded around these lands lately. Ruby knew that the chance that this thinclaw knew anything about her family was extremely small but she'd have to take every possible chance at finding out more about their whereabouts. Greentail seemed to think for a moment before she answered.

"I haven't seen any of them but I've heard that there's a place further towards the Land of Sinking Grounds where they've often lived even if they haven't been seen in a while. I don't know it this has anything to do with you or your family but that's all I've been told about fast runners." The young thinclaw looked thoughtful as she spoke, apparently thinking about something she didn't want to talk about to her companion. Ruby, however, looked at her hopefully and her voice was thankful as she answered.

"I don't know anything about that but thank you for telling me! I'll go look in that…"

"Greentail! What are doing here? And who's that fast runner?" A male voice could be heard nearby as the adolescent thinclaw walked down a nearby slope. His expression wasn't exactly grim or accusing but he clearly wanted an explanation. The deep-red dinosaur looked at Ruby in puzzlement, clearly not sure if he approved about her presence. Even then, he waited for his sister's answer before he made any further conclusions.

"She's in the same situation as we are. It seems she's looking for her family that she says has passed around our forest in the past weeks but luckily for her, she didn't ask you as you've proved wouldn't have spotted them eveb if they were I front of you!" The female thinclaw answered in a dry, surprisingly serious voice. She was glad to see that her brother had joined them as the two had almost all their lives worked and planned their actions together with varying success. Yarel casted a grim look on her sister but he was interrupted before he could return the favor.

"And I guess you're Yarel as your sister already told me about you. It's great to meet you! I'm Ruby!" The fast runner answered in a slightly awkward voice, seeing that the newcomer wasn't quite as approving about her presence as his sister. Still, his voice was restrained and even kind as he answered.

"It's always a relief to see someone who doesn't try to kill me, Ruby. But as my sister very cleverly said, I haven't seen any of your kind around here." Yarel said oddly and glanced at his sister while Ruby cringed as she thought about her answer. She wasn't too familiar with the lands Greentail had described and there was a good chance that she wouldn't be able to find her family without the duo's help. However, she knew that the two thinclaws most likely would wish to get rid of her rather quickly but she wasn't quite done with the duo yet. After a moment of thinking, Ruby finally found something to say to Yarel's remark.

"I heard where my family has probably been going so thank you for telling me! But… I also heard that you two know this forest very well. Could you show me at least the direction where I'm supposed to go?" Ruby asked, glad to have come up with a way to combine help for her quest and the effort to getting to know the siblings better. An idea was slowly beginning to form in her head as she listened to their words and antics. Perhaps there was a chance she could ask them to accompany her on this journey? They didn't seem too happy about their situation and the prospect of two thinclaws surviving a Cold Time by themselves wasn't a likely one. The two siblings exchanged glances and Greentail answered shortly.

"Well, I guess we could. It isn't that far but it's easy for a stranger like yourself to get lost in these lands. Follow us, we'll show the way!" The female thinclaw answered in a slightly disappointed voice which disheartened Ruby somewhat. It seemed like she was receiving another chance to get to know these two dinosaurs better but she didn't know if she could use it as well as she could.. Greentail didn't seem too excited about her company and Yarel's approach seemed somewhat conflicted and there was something about him that puzzled the fast runner heavily. Despite that, the pink dinosaur thanked them quickly in a happy voice before starting to follow the two deeper into the realm of dying trees.

* * *

A few bothering minutes passed by as Ruby thought about any way to reopen the conversation she and Greentail had started before Yarel had arrived to the scene. The male's appearance seemed to have flattened his sister's spirits somewhat which seemed a bit worrying. He seemed to be as friendly as his sister but still it seemed that not everything was well between the two thinclaws. Yarel seemed highly thoughtful about the fast runner's presence in some way which was a highly unusual way to approach another dinosaur. He wasn't angry or hateful but he just seemed… bothered. Ruby wondered deeply what was going on in the male thinclaw's head.

Yarel could easily notice that Ruby had something in mind, something she hadn't let out just yet. Even then, he was conflicted about this meeting. For many years he had seen other omnivores as constantly plotting, even malevolent, and even if those sentiments had started to die down during his and his sister's new life, he still didn't know what to make of her. Thinclaws rarely dealt with other kinds, even less so than the fast runners, and the mere thought of cooperating with another omnivore was an odd one to him. He and his sister had gone through so much together and the deterioration of their relationship was another thing that weighed Yarel's mind. The life of constant struggle and danger had spread both siblings' nerves to their limits and the only growing arguments between the two weighed on him greatly. Even then, any new face was a small reprieve from his oppressing reality which made the young dinosaur had admit to himself that he welcomed the fast runner's company.

The three omnivores walked swiftly through the dying forest in silence as each of them thought what to make about this meeting, most of all Ruby. She had asked for the others to accompany her so she knew it should be her who should respark the conversation. The fast runner took a deep sigh before she broke the silence of the whispering woods.

"I've already told why I'm here but I'd also like to know what you are doing here. And it's difficult for me to know about it unless you tell me about it first!" Ruby asked in a soft voice, willing to make the two siblings to resume the conversation. It was Greentail's voice who first greeted the fast runner's ears. The female thinclaw felt slight annoyance at the fast runner's insistence and her voice was even unnecessarily grim. The voice was little more than a whisper in order to hide their position from all dangers. As a matter of fact, the three were moving in a straight line to stay as silent as possible.

"As I said, it's none of your business! We've been living in these lands for months and that's all you need to know!" The thinclaw's voice was surprisingly grim and Yarel quickly glanced at her in slight chagrin. It was clear that despite his reservations about this situation, he disapproved his sister's antics.

"Actually, we, too, have had a pretty rough time lately. Let's just say that we don't even know where our family is. We once tried to search for them but it has all been for nothing. We probably lost them when we tried to attack a spiketail herd because I was starving. Our kind isn't supposed to hunt other dinosaurs so we failed and in the midst of all that, we got separated from them between the charging beasts. By the time we got to safety, no trace of our parents could be seen and all we heard were the brainless snorts of those monsters! It all happened in the early Warm Time so it has been a long time since we two were forced to survive on our own." Yarel's voice was rather glum but it was clear that he had had a long time to handle his internal conflicts about the issue. Ruby looked at him in compassion when Greentail's voice answered to her brother.

"You don't have to tell everything, Yarel! You should remember that keeping your knowledge to yourself is always the best way to stay safe! That's what mom always said!" Greentail hissed to Yarel in a silent voice which Ruby couldn't hear. The male returned his sister's annoyed expression and answered in an equally frustrated voice.

"Who cares about that here? We've got much better things to worry about than some dumb wisdoms!" Yarel answered in an angry voice, his hands put on his hips to underline his determination. Ruby looked at the two in puzzlement, unsure what to make of the siblings' internal quarrel other than that it wouldn't help her in getting to them.

"I care and you should too if you wish to live! We can't trust any outsider at least right away and you know it!" The female said in a grim voice which only seemed to deepen Yarel's determination.

"Does she look like a threat? There's a place for this but…" The male's answer was interrupted by Ruby's slightly bothered remark.

"You don't need to fight about this! I'm sorry about what happened to you but this doesn't help!" Ruby said in a sterner voice than usual. She was seriously beginning to doubt whether these two were worth her time. It was clear that they weren't as receptive towards her as the fast runner had initially thought. Greentail sighed as she thought about her brother's words. She stood behind her points but she knew her brother wasn't a fool, either. Greentail often thought that his ideas were too hopeful and that he often didn't consider all possible risks associated with his ideas. His excitement would often have to reined in for his own safety. She looked at the fast runner in some compassion and walked towards her carefully.

"I'm sorry about that. Things have just been kinda rough in the past weeks. We've just found ourselves fighting about stupid things and we know it but this atmosphere gets really depressing before long." The thinclaw answered, her expression taking a slightly calmer tone. Ruby looked at her in puzzlement but decided against pushing the issue any further. Yarel followed his sister and continued from where she had stopped.

"You're right, Greentail. I still hope things were better but after we got separated from our parents, things haven't been too well. It is slowly beginning to bother both of us." Yarel sighed as he spoke and looked at Ruby in clear apology. The fast runner could easily see what he meant: she was already growing frustrated by her own search. Anyway, there was little she could say to comfort the two siblings. Ruby merely sighed and answered in the only way she could.

"That's no wonder. I'm already noticing the same thing with my own journey. I already feel anxious whenever I stop to think about my situation. Anyway, how much longer is it to our destination?" Ruby asked, knowing that the moment of truth was slowly falling upon the small group. The longer Ruby had spoken with the two siblings, the more she had gotten the impression that they thought that any change to their current reality would be heartily accepted. Ruby knew it was far too much to hope but a small if fleeting thought flowed in the fast runner's mind. Perhaps the two thinclaws would want to come with her? Before Ruby could advance her idea, Greentail answered first in a thoughtful voice.

"It shouldn't be too long from now on. Come, follow us! You'll be in your way in no time…" The two thinclaws waved Ruby to follow them and the fast runner happily obeyed. Ruby took a small sigh of relief: she had managed to get to know the two better and the chance that they'd come with her had just got better.

* * *

"There it is! The hills where the fast runners have been seen are in that direction. I don't know how far as that's all dad told me!" Greentail smiled as she pointed into the distance which looked pretty much like any other field in the Mysterious Beyond. Dry, inhospitable plains as far as eye could see but Ruby knew she didn't have much of a choice. This had been the only hint that she had ever since Stealth so if she ever wanted to find her family, she'd have to take this vague and unsure chance. She turned to look at her guides and spoke in a relieved and happy voice.

"Thank you both so much for showing me this! I would have never found the way if you hadn't made me find it!" Ruby said as she reflected her situation. Once again, she had a clear direction and her hopes of reuniting with her parents and siblings had grown once again. Even if the hole left by her friends would never heal, at least she'd be able to carry on their memory. All was not lost.

"I hope you'll find your family, Ruby. I just wish we had been of more help but we'we already told everything we know." Yarel said glumly as he shivered in the wind from the plain fields. He didn't know what to think about these events or the fast runner but he knew that his own life would stay unchanged even if he and sister were able to help Ruby. This knowledge alone brought the look of resignation to his face. Ruby looked at her new friends in slight hesitation, knowing that this was the time to speak or stay silent forever. She had already given it a lot of thought but she knew that any company was better than the overwhelming loneliness. Ruby hoped beyond hope the duo felt the same way.

"You've already helped me a lot but… I just wondered… would you be willing to come with me? My parents know a lot: they might even know where you'd be able to find your own folks!" Ruby knew her question was sudden and it was likely to be rejected but the fast runner wanted to try give the duo a way out from their situation and perhaps even a chance to rejoin their own kind. In addition, she knew that the coming Cold Time would be a true danger to two adolescent thinclaws to survive. However, the siblings' reactions were what Ruby had expected.

"Th… thank you, Ruby, but we cannot just go! It's the Mysterious Beyond!" Greentail answered in confusion and surprise but Ruby merely smiled as an answer. She had expected this answer and rebuffed immediately by another question.

"What about it? This forest isn't any safer than those fields as you've told me and we all have a better chance to survive if we stick together! And I already heard that you don't have any reason to stay here! I understand if you want to stay but you don't seem too happy with this place." The fast runner said in a completely calm voice, willing to let the two make their own decisions. Both Yarel and Greentail looked at each other in confused looks before the male answered to the fast runner.

"Uhh, just a moment, we have to talk about this with just two of us." Yarel said in an unreadable face while Greentail's glanced at him in clear anger and disappointment, prompting a puzzled expression from Ruby. Reinforced by Greentail's sudden hostility, the fast runner understood that the siblings needed some time alone so she only answered briefly.

"Okay but don't take too long! I want to get moving as soon as I can!" Ruby said as she looked at the two thinclaws move back into the forest. The fast runner didn't know what to expect from her companions but she truly wished they'd decide to come with her. So much had happened and Ruby simply didn't want to part with the first friendly faces she had met on her journey. Ruby looked around her and sat on a rock, burying her head in her hands in anticipation.

* * *

"Why did you take me here? Do you honestly think we have any reason to go with her? Even if she wishes no harm to us, we cannot simply go with anyone who asks it!" Greentail hissed in an angry voice, revealing her teeth to her brother in a show of anger and annoyance. It was clear that she was far from impressed by Ruby's proposition. Yarel returned a remarkably less aggressive look but it was clear that he wasn't ready to give up on the issue just yet.

"I know it's crazy but at least doing something and going somewhere is better than just sitting here! We know that this life isn't meant for us and I'd like to take any chance we can to get away from this!" The male said in frustration and pity at himself. The last months had been very tedious for him and the constant hiding from sharpteeth, the struggles against other omnivores for food as well as the recurring fights with his sister had taken much of the relief he had initially felt from finding this small sanctuary in the Mysterious Beyond. He knew that leaving with a complete stranger wasn't something he'd do in usual situations but this certainly wasn't one.

"We have everything we need and the hardships are nothing when we know what it could be out there! I agree that things might get boring and annoying sometimes but just try to see things from someone else's eyes than your own! We might be walking into the maw of some sharptooth the next day we leave!" The young thinclaw said as she tried to reason with her brother. At this point, she had to admit that her brother had a point but she also knew that she was right in her own way. At many points in the past months she, too, had hoped for a better future than this pitiful struggling against larger and more dangerous dinosaurs but if there was one thing she hated, it was risking her life without a good reason. No matter what, a silent life here would be a better option than mere running to a probable death. The gleam in Yarel's eyes brightened as he heard his sister's answer.

"And we might also be eaten or frozen do death if we're not lucky! You heard what Ruby said: we could even find out where our own kind lives: we don't know all of the wisdoms we need to and thee are still things we have to learn about survival! Even if we won't find our family, we might be able to learn something that we need to know to know when we're bigger!" Yarel said almost pleadingly to his sister who looked at him in an unsure expression. Sure, it was true that there had still been things they hadn't been taught yet but the two had managed to survive this long without them. A thinclaw's life was far from easy or simply but she was growing increasingly concerned by the risks of this venture. What if the fast runners knew nobody who could be of help?

"Like what? It isn't like any thinclaw would tell us, a pair of unknown kids, anything! You know as well as I do that it's not going to happen! Besides, we haven't done that badly as it is! We might have been lucky also but I don't see any reason why we should change the way we live!" The green thinclaw said in a calmer voice which forced a worried look to Yarel's face. It was true that no stranger would help them but if they could prove themselves useful to someone, things might become a bit different. Still, the male knew that his argument was highly being overshadowed by his true intentions: the mere will to find something more in his life than this agonizing subsisting.

"You might be right about that but are you truly willing to just wait and grow old in this small place while waiting for death? I know things might get rough out there but Ruby needs our help! Trying to help out a rare friend is reason enough for me to at least see if there's anything we can do for ourselves or for others! Maybe we can even find a new place where we might be able to live in safety! Also, just think about it: we have fought for stupid things five times this week and I admit it: seeing you has often spoiled my day. I really want that to change." Yarel tried to reason to her sister whose expression took an increasingly worried turn at his brother's honesty.. Her initial, stern rebuffing of his brother's arguments were slowly starting to melt as she couldn't question his line of thought. Even if she was offended by her brother's words at first, she felt the same way. Trying to salvage their once-close bond was a thing worth considering. There was a lot to lose but some other important things to gain. Truth be told, the female was slowly starting to question her own stance. She lowered her voce as she prepared to ask a question from her brother.

"Yeah… I know what you mean. But…are you sure you want to do this? Things might even grimmer and more dangerous out there and there is a chance we'll gain nothing from all of this. Many of our wisdoms speak against this kind of quick changes in our lives, especially if we can avoid it." At this point, Greentail's relaxed gestures told that she had dropped her complete opposition to her brother's proposal and it had turned into a genuine question. The two siblings looked at each other for a moment as they contemplated about this situation.

Yarel was slightly embarrassed by his insistence as he looked into his sister's eyes. This was the dinosaur with whom he had shared all his life and who had stood by his side and protected him for countless times during their childhoods. All of his early memories were filled with different games and acts of mischief and all of them contained the picture of this very same thinclaw. Even in this rough time, she had helped and comforted him and now he was almost forcing his point on her. Yarel felt a sting of guilt and self-doubt as he realized that he might be acting selfish at this point and perhaps luring his sister into an early death. Still, he knew he was genuinely saying what he truly thought was the right thing to do: to help him and his sister to survive even in the future.

Greentail's eyes looked like they were piercing her brother. She knew that she was right in many ways and it was highly possible that she should stand her ground for the sake of both of them. However, Yarel had seldom asked anything of her and she could see that he was truly willing to follow this strange fast runner into this adventure. The young dinosaur had always admired her brother's courage and his willingness to find the best course of action on hard times, even through the recent ordeals. The two had never overstepped on each other's hopes or ambitions and they had always shared everything from food to the decisions that had concerned both of them. Her own intuition told her to play things safe but at this point, she didn't know what to think. For as long she could remember, the two had always worked together and that bond had slowly been eroded during the past months of struggle. That had to change. She listened in deep interest as Yarel answered.

"That depends on the wisdom we are speaking about. One of them also says that we should try to always make ourselves more able to survive and to always create more help for ourselves in the coming days. This might be our chance to do that. I'm not saying you're wrong but I simply hope that what I'm saying is the right way to go." Yarel said in a more silent voice in order to be as convincing as he simply could. His own gestures were seemingly worried and his sister could see his nervousness. However, Greentail was slowly coming to the realization that there was some wisdom in her brother's words. Ruby had seemed to be genuinely willing to get to know the two better and even overlooking her friendliness, there could truly be some allies and knowledge to be gained on this journey. Greentail took a deep breath before she forced a slight smile to her face. Her voice was deep as she spoke.

"It can't be much worse than the other things we could do. We're far too smart for any sharpteeth to catch and it won't be too long a trip anyway, I think. I'm slowly beginning to think you're right, brother. We still have a lot to learn." Greesnout answered softly, prompting an equally eased expression from her brother. It was clear that the male was overjoyed by this development. After all these months of ordeals, finally the future promised something else. He merely nodded and smiled happily before he answered.

"Thanks, Greentail. I'm sure neither of us will regret this. Come on, let's go tell Ruby that we'll go with her." The two siblings then turned around and headed back to the opening where Ruby was waiting for them. For some reason, the atmosphere between them seemed a bit more lighter already.

* * *

Ruby was gazing far into the horizon, sitting on the same rock with her hands supporting her head which was lying on them. The higher elevation of the forest's edge provided the fast runner with a good view over the nearby plains and hills with a small stream flowing through the dry scene. Notwithstanding the barren sight, this place reminded her so much about her old Thinking Place in the Great Valley. She would have spent hours there thinking about different things in her life but they had always ended with another game or adventure with her friends. In this place, she could have almost expected Chomper's voice calling for another game of Hide and Seek. Ruby sighed as she tried to force her thoughts to some other subject which wasn't exactly a problem.

Dozens of conflicting things were running down on the pink dinosaur's head. First and foremost, had she done the right thing by offering the two siblings a chance to come with her? She hardly knew them and it seemed to have already brought a slight argument between them. Even if they decided to come, could she actually reward them in any way? Sure, her parents might know something about those two but would they be of any help to them? No matter how the fast runner looked at things, she realized she had only invited them for her own selfish hope of getting rid of her own loneliness. She knew her motivations was more than understandable but still a sting of guilt lingered in her mind.

For many Cold Times, her siblings had been all the company she had ever needed and even then she had been required to do shorter trips and journeys alone for her family. Even in her early childhood, she had spent a day or two alone without problems but it seemed like the Great Valley had taken that ability away from her. Even now, she could see Littlefoot's face whenever she was deep in thought or Ducky's small form run towards her from the corner of her eyes. At first, those hallucinations had nearly broken her but at this point, they only made her feel only more miserable. She knew that inviting the two to accompany her only as substitutes for her lost friends was the wrong thing to do but that couldn't be helped anymore. For better or worse, the die had been cast.

Also, would Greentail's advise be of any worth? Surely there could be other fast runners in these lands than her family and nothing pointed to the direction that the place they were going to was inhabited at all by now. Sure, it was possible that if they found any more dinosaurs around here that they could be of help. If Stealth had paid attention to a few small omnivores, so would many others. If her family still lived, Ruby knew there was a good chance that she'd find them eventually.

Ruby gazed at the distance with half-closed eyes as she waited for the thinclaws' decision. She had lost all sense of time by all the things going on in her head to even notice how long their conversation had been going on or even their sudden return. The young oviraptor continued to look at the horizon with dreamy eyes when she herd a now-familiar voice behind her. Ruby was slightly startled as she had completely forgotten to watch her surroundings.

"Uh… Ruby? Is something the matter?" Greentail asked as she looked at the thoughtful fast runner. She quickly jumped from the rock and turned around and answered in an even protective voice.

"Nope, I was just thinking about things and thinking about things is something I do a lot! Uhh… did you decide something already?" Ruby cocked her head slightly as she answered. There was a hopeful if bothered look on her face. Even after her misgivings, she still wanted to think her proposition had been the right one and she was somewhat heartened by her new friends' composures. They seemed somewhat relaxed, happy even and the fast runner could tell that this wasn't the face of someone who was about to deliver bad news. This impression was further reinforced by an approving nod Yarel gave his sister. The male's answer was relieved as he gave his answer.

"I guess you could say that. We're coming with you." Yarel said with a wide smile on his face. Even if their relationship with Ruby had been a brief one, he had a feeling that this was a dinosaur who would be able to help them as well as herself. If nothing else, she'd provide he and his sister with a great adventure. Ruby's eyes took a highly surprised and heartened look into them and the fast runner was about to stutter as she answered. This was the answer that would finally allow her to begin her new life.

"Th… thank you so much! I didn't know what to expect but I sure am happy to have you come with me, happy about it I am! I'm sure none of us will regret this!" Ruby was highly at a loss of words by this surprising display of trust and faith her new companions had just provided her with. She slowly walked closer to the two whose expressions were slightly more reserved but it was also clear that they, too, were happy about this development.

"Let's just stay away from any sharpteeth or spiketails, alright? I want to still be alive once we find your parents." Greentail said in a cheeky grin, even if the inclusion of spiketails puzzled Ruby somewhat until she remembered the story they'd told her earlier.

"That's what we do! No stupid sharptooth will be able to outsmart us again! I just hope we'll find your family before it gets any colder!" Slight chuckles accompanied Yarel's remark as he was highly sensitive to the cold. Once again, Ruby notified the mention about sharpteeth in his words and it was becoming apparent that there was more to these two than she had initially thought. Anyway, she was only happy at this point that the two had accepted her request.

"I'm sure we will, Yarel! They couldn't have gone too far as I heard it's been only a few weeks since they left! Also, my brother and sister are too young to go fast so we should reach find quickly. But don't speak about sharpteeth… I've had enough of them at this point…" Ruby turned to look to the ground for a moment, fighting to hold the painful memories of the fast biters in bay. After a moment, however, she realized that talking about it wouldn't help so she forced a smile to her voice and continued.

"But don't worry about that! I'm just happy to have you here! Come on, let's go before it gets dark!" Ruby said as she waved her new friends to follow her. The two thinclaws looked at her in slight excitement even if the lingering flicker of doubt could still be read in Greentail's eyes. However, it was she who answered to Ruby as the three prepared to enter the wide fields in the east.

"We have a long way to go before we can rest! We have no time to lose so let's see what's out there!" Greentail said as her two companions nodded. It was a lucky occasion that had brought the three dinosaurs together in the first place and their joining into a group was an even larger blessing for them to stick together. Even if the quest to find the missing fast runners held any meaning for only one of the three, the thinclaws also knew that there was a lot to gain in this journey. All of them only hoped this quest would be easier than their previous ordeals.

* * *

 **After all the hardships of the last chapters, Ruby has finally found two friendly faces on her journey. However, her original quest remains as elusive as ever and apparently her new companions, despite their genuine friendliness, don't share her goals on the journey which might complicate things soon. On a side note, Yarel and Greentail are Ornithomimuses which is another kind of omnivore dinosaur that hasn't been seen in the series yet. I hope you enjoyed these new characters as well as the developments in this chapter and see you next time!**

 **The Rhombus: Indeed, I thought it would be necessary to further explain Petrie's thoughts as they and his character development will receive a more focal point as his story advances. I felt that the flier deserves more credit than most fanfics give him because despite his usual role, there are moments when even Petrie has done things that show his actual capabilities. Also, Petrie and Pterano's relationship will become a rather complex one but it will be only one of the things that will be happening in the flier herd but that's an issue best left for the next chapter! :)**


	15. Petrie's First Test

**Petrie's First Test**

The two fliers flew in silence for a while, both of them keeping their words to themselves during the first part of the flight towards this herd Pterano had told Petrie about. The older flier looked at his nephew with a worried look as he simply couldn't fathom all the horrors Petrie had gone through lately. What had happened in the Valley if all of the five children had been forced to leave and what had happened to the others? Even without knowing those answers, anger started to rise in Pterano's mind as he thought about the reasons why Petrie had been forced into this situation in the first place. How could Volant have let Petrie leave the Valley like this? Why hadn't she prevented the expulsion of her son or at the very least ensured that he was alright in the Mysterious Beyond? No matter what had happened in the Valley, Pterano couldn't find a way to explain how this could have come to pass. When the two siblings would reunite in the future, it would be Pterano's turn to question his sister.

Even then, for the moment, the most important thing was that the young flier was no longer alone. The mere thought of the flying sharpteeth chasing his poor nephew chilled the adult flier to the core as he realized that he would have most likely already died if it wasn't for him. There would still be time to confront Petrie's past but for now, the most pressing issue was to ensure his future. Pterano turned to look at the younger flier in concern and spoke in a soft voice.

"Petrie… there are some things you need to know about our herd if you're going to get accepted." The older flier said carefully. There were a few details that Petrie would have to remember when they'd meet the other fliers. Petrie looked at his uncle in clear unease and gulped before he answered.

"And what is that, uncle? Is there going to happen something bad?" The flier's question was careful as he was still highly conflicted about all things that had happened. Finding his uncle here was an immense relief for him but he couldn't shake of the past days from his mind in a moment. Petrie knew that they probably never would never leave his mind but perhaps his uncle and the other fliers could provide him with something to get over the nightmare that was his life at the moment. Pterano shook his head as he answered to his nephew's logical question.

"No but there are some things you'd need to hide in order to avoid… startling the others. You see… they wouldn't want to hear about your friends or the Valley. The herd is very traditional and many things the fliers do in your home wouldn't be accepted here. Living with the other herds for example." Pterano cringed big-time as he spoke, knowing that this would be painful to Petrie who, despite his respect for his uncle, regarded his friends and the rest of the Great Valley in high regard. Petrie wouldn't need to disown his lost companions but he'd have to make it seem like he had spent his whole life alone or with other fliers. The younger flier's answer was to be expected.

"Wh… what? Petrie won't just say me not from the Valley! Me have lived there for almost all me life and me won't say otherwise because of some fliers think me should!" Petrie's voice was shocked above all and he seemed extremely puzzled by his uncle's words. Had he really asked him to turn his back on his home and his friends? The young flier simply couldn't believe this was what his uncle was after.

"Nephew… I'm not asking you to forget or insult them but it would help a lot if we could come up with another way to explain why you want to join us. None of them know about your mother or any of my or your real past. I know it's harder for you but this this is the only way we can ever hope to get you in. I know that at least Peak won't believe us without a good explanation." Pterano spoke softly, trying to reason with his distressed nephew. He realized that Petrie would never do this willingly but he knew what he was talking about. At this point, he couldn't allow Petrie to wander off to the Mysterious Beyond alone but he knew the duo had a far better shot at surviving with their own kind. He could only hope he could make Petrie see things his way.

"B… but me don't want to say Petrie something me isn't! Momma always said me to tell the truth and she and the other grown-ups say you were banished because we couldn't trust you! Why would Petrie do the same mistakes you do in the past?" Petrie tried to stutter some kind of defense to his case and he hoped it could change his uncle's mind. However, those words hurt Pterano deeply as Petrie disappointment had been one of the greatest punishments after the Valley's decision. Even if the younger flier had still appeared to admire him, he could see the flicker of betrayal in Petrie's eyes as he flew away from the Valley on that fateful day those four Cold Times ago. That was a moment he'd never forget. Still, he couldn't help but lament Petrie's childish naivety about Volant's words.

"I'm sorry about that, nephew. Your mother's right about me but here we can't always do what is right. I wouldn't want to say this but there's a lot for you to learn in the Mysterious Beyond. Sometimes things… don't go quite the same way as they did in the Valley. But I know you're strong enough to take this step. I've already seen it, Petrie, when you saw me as I truly were back then." The older flier tried to put on a wide smile as a way to encourage his nephew to take this step into the unknown. His words were genuine as he trusted in the boy's ability to adapt to new situations but he had never expected it to be easy even for him. Petrie sighed as he answered.

"Me guess you're right, uncle. But, me like to know, who be Peak?" Petrie's voice was turning to a more resigned one and he tried to at least ask something that could give him encouragement and perhaps knowing more about the flier Pterano had mentioned would cheer him up somewhat. It seemed like his terrible day was far from complete. Pterano gave the younger flier an approving nod as he answered.

"He's one of the herd's leaders and likely the one who'll cause us the most problems. He's rather trustworthy when you get to know him but he's also extremely suspicious about newcomers. I'd say we need a really good backstory for you if we're going to get past him, Petrie. But don't worry, we'll manage to do it." Pterano said as he tried to make Petrie see the urgency of his warnings. The young flier seemed to be already mentally fatigued and even if Pterano hated to see him like this, it would likely be to his own good to push the issue.

"Me no know about any of this, uncle. That place no seem like something Petrie would like to go. Maybe it better if me just go away." The flier looked at his uncle with an extremely downtrodden way, for a moment making Pterano wonder his own stance. However, no matter which way he looked at it, his proposition would still be to Petrie's best.

"Don't say that, Petrie. We cannot just stay here! What would your mother say if I let you wander off alone into the wilderness! No, we've got only one way to go forward, Petrie. I promise you, you can trust your old uncle in this." The older dinosaur tried to put on as friendly composure as he could and Petrie looked at him in distinct approval. It was clear that he still respected his uncle clearly and even if he still had severe misgivings about this, he slowly started to realize that something interesting could come out of this. Something in Pterano seemed to flicker a small blaze of adventure inside the beaten flier, just strong enough to snap him out of his saddened mental state.

"Pe… Petrie hope you right. Me can say me not from the Valley but me won't say anything about me friends! Petrie owe them far too much to insult them now!" The young flier said in determination, prompting a conflicted loom from his uncle. Pterano knew this was all he could ask for but even then, he could only hope no one asked anything of the Valley or things might get bad sooner than later. Anyway, he realized that he couldn't push Petrie any further. He could only hope that this was enough.

"Very well, nephew. I'm glad you can see that we have to do this but we still have to come up with an explanation for your willingness to join us. What do you say about this idea…"

About an hour later, a long range of mountains opened up before the two fliers. The terrain around them was still dry and largely flat but there were small plots of grass here and there, just enough to sustain a migrating herd on its journey. Petrie looked at the looming hills in slight interest, eager to meet his new companions and to see if there were any other fliers who would be worth getting to know. His uncle's words still worried him somewhat but he knew he'd have to get over his sorrow sooner or later. With any luck, he could find new friends among his new herd.

Pterano, on the other hand, looked around himself from time to time, trying to see where the other fliers were at this moment. After a while of searching, he could see a form a flier in the distance, telling Pterano everything he had to know at this point. He whispered to Petrie quickly as he turned his direction towards the spot where one of his companions had just landed.

"Follow me, Petrie. We're close to our destination." The two fliers then flew for a moment in silence, a small plateau in the mountains soon opening under them. Petrie was surprised to see that there was almost fifty fliers here, the herd being much larger than he had initially expected. Most of them were young adults but a few children and older dinosaurs could also be seen among them. To Petrie's relief, most of them seemed rather friendly even if most of them held noticeable scars in their bodies, apparently caused by the claws of another flier. Even then, boy decided to keep an open mind at this point for now as the two landed on a higher area overlooking the rest of the small sanctuary in the mountains. The older flier looked at his surroundings briefly and approached a rather tall female after a moment of hesitating.

"Fena, where are Peak, Nira, Lenel and Nimble? I tried to look at them when I arrived but I couldn't see them anywhere." The older flier asked neutrally from the female as he wondered where the herd's leaders' were at the moment. The other flier looked at him with a slightly dry expression until she answered.

"If they are not somewhere around this place, they're probably scouting the surrounding areas. But as usual, they should be here soon. But who's that boy with you?" Fena asked in puzzlement as she saw Pterano's new companion. He had always appeared as a loner in the herd and this new kid's appearance confused her greatly. Pterano had prepared for this question already and he had decided that the truth was the best policy here.

"Oh, he's the reason why I even want to meet those four. He's my nephew Petrie and he'd like to join this herd." The flier spoke calmly, trying to keep a rather low profile before he'd get the leaders' attention. Petrie tried to put on a slight smile as he looked at the light-brown female. He felt extremely awkward but he tried to stay as normal-looking as he could. Fena looked at the young flier in surprise and spoke to him in an almost friendly voice.

"Is that so? We seldom get any new children to our herd but I hope that you will find your place among us. I wish you luck in trying to get on those spitfires' good side." The young adult flier said to Petrie who tried to return her kindness with a smile, no matter how forced it'd turn out to be. He answered quickly to her words.

"Thank you for the wishing! Petrie also hope all go well today!" The young flier said in growing confidence even if he was still highly conflicted about everything that was going on. Still, it was nice to see that the first flier they'd met was somewhat approving of his presence. Fena chuckled slightly to the young flier's speech pattern before she was interrupted again by Pterano.

"I'm sure we will do well, Fena. Thank you for your help but me and Petrie should go search if any of the four are anywhere nearby. Fare well until we meet next time." Pterano glanced at his nephew to follow him when he heard a surprising remark from Petrie. The young flier looked at his uncle with half-closed eyes when he spoke.

"Actually, can Petrie wait here for a moment. Me flew for hours already before me met you with me injured wing!" The boy spoke in a weary voice, prompting a thoughtful look from Pterano. It was true that Petrie had gone through too much today already but it was also likely that he would get the attention of some other, possibly hostile, flier before he'd return. Even then, that was a chance he was willing to take as he thought about Petrie's situation. He had deserved a moment of rest after all his journeys.

"Alright, Petrie, but try to be safe. The last thing we need at this point is to make some kind of fuss." Pterano said as he prepared to take off. Petrie was sitting by a cliff's side surrounded by somewhat tall grass. The young flier could have sworn he couldn't have raised a wing at this point and his voice was more than thankful when he answered.

"I will, uncle. Thank you for letting me stay here for a moment." Petrie said as he saw his uncle nod at him in approval. The larger flier then took off and left Petrie to spend some time alone, trying to gather his thoughts. If everything went well, he'd soon have a new home and even if it would never replace his old one, any home would be better at this point than the panic he had gone through before his uncle had found him. After a moment of rest, he would be ready for the meeting with the herd's leaders. Pterano had seemed very confident about his idea and the boy saw no reason to doubt him. Even if his head was still a complete mess, his uncle's appearance had given him new strength. He was left to rest alone in the relative safety of the tall grass.

* * *

Strong flapping of two wings could be heard as Hoist flew above the newcomer. The adolescent flier had noticed him right away when he and Pterano had arrived in the small, closed plain which the fliers called the Widewing's Rest after one of the legendary fliers of the past. Hoist was seldom impressed by newcomers and this one seemed even more pathetic than usual. He was rather small and undoubtedly younger than he was and if he was already fatigued by the journey, he would have no place in this herd. Hoist smiled wickedly as he decided to test this flier's resolve.

* * *

After many minutes had passed by, Petrie felt his strength slowly starting to return to his limbs. They were still wearied by the flying and his injury hadn't healed fully. Still, he knew that a little more rest would return his usual strength. His wing was a more worrying thing at this point as it was clear that not everything was still right with it. However, with any luck he wouldn't be required to fly for a day or two. Petrie's thoughts were a complete flux as he tried to calm down from his earlier despair. A deep sorrow and concern for his friends still bothered the young flier but at this point, those thoughts were slowly taking a backseat. The adrenaline of being introduced to a new group of unknown dinosaurs were slowly taking the lion's share of his thoughts. Until they were thoroughly interrupted by a quick, painful pain in his shoulder.

"Ouch! Who did that!" The flier said as he looked around himself. A rather sizable stone had hit his shoulder but luckily it hadn't made a deep wound. Still, the young boy was highly angered and worried by this turn of events. After glancing around himself for a while, he suddenly jumped upward in order to dodge another incoming rock. Petrie was about to take off to find his tormentor until a rather large, muscled adolescent flier appeared from the grass surrounding Petrie. He wore a mean smile as he started to speak.

"So a lazy, slow, good-for-nothing kid wishes to join us! Hah! I'm sure even your uncle cannot save you from what our leaders have in mind!" The greenish-colored flier said as he moved towards Petrie who felt his heart sink at this development. This was far from what he had wanted to encounter right now. Ever since meeting Hyp and his gang, Petrie had developed a distinct fear towards bullies. It had only been deepened during the preparation for the Great Day of the Fliers and the unwanted attention he had gotten from his siblings back then. However, this time he wouldn't give quarter to the newcomer.

"Petrie no need uncle Pterano's help to get accepted here! You'll see, me will do good when me can show Petrie can do!" It was highly unusual for Petrie to act like this but his nerves had already been stretched by the last days to heir limit and this flier's antics seemed even worse than the bullies in the Valley.

"Really? I doubt no one will give you a chance for that when you can't even speak right! "Me Petrie, me so good at flying", just give me a break!" The greenish flier chuckled in mockery, willing to immediately provoke the smaller flier for his antics. Petrie's face grew increasingly more red as he heard his tormentor's words. Some of his siblings had pointed out that he should try to fix his speech pattern with new dinosaurs but Petrie simply couldn't. His speech pattern had grown to be a part of him and he simply wasn't able to drop it immediately, even if he wanted to. Petrie took a few enraged breaths before he answered.

"We'll see what will happen but for now, just go away! Petrie not like to hear of bullies right now!" The flier tried to end the situation but the larger dinosaur seemed to have a different idea. He moved even closer to Petrie with a highly arrogant expression, clearly willing to escalate the situation further. Petrie felt his heart sink at this development as this was the last thing he would have wanted to experience. Even then, Petrie knew that he wouldn't be left alone easily. He was smaller than the other flier, he had no friends and he couldn't simply outfly this villain. Petrie knew he would have to survive this agonizing situation somehow as his tormentor approached.

"And why would I do that! It's not like a brainless weakling like you can do anything about it." The flier raised his fist and Petrie knew immediately what was going to happen. However, this day's events had not only taken a toll on him mentally, it had also strengthened his resolve to survive it. With quick reflexes, Petrie grabbed the larger flier's fist and with the element of surprise, pushed him backward. The larger flier looked at Petrie in surprise and rising anger as he prepared his answer. He panted slightly as he spoke again.

"So you really are up for a round? Great… that's just what I wanted too…" The greenish flier started to walk threateningly towards Petrie, who realized that he meant what he said. Petrie was already preparing for the worst… until a surprisingly low but clearly female voice called from behind him.

"Hoist, stop it already! I thought you realized what it meant that you'll be beaten by the grown-ups if you didn't try to behave! This doesn't seem too promising!" Petrie looked at the newcomer in surprise and deep gratitude as the flier she had just called Hoist turned towards her. His face and voice dipped with loathing as he answered to the female flier. She looked slightly younger than Hoist but it seemed like she was clearly able to resist anything the male would have in mind. She was deeper-brown colored than any flier Petrie had seen before and it seemed like two knew each other well enough, clearly to both of their misfortune.

"Stay out of this, Glide! This brat doesn't belong in the herd and our rules doesn't concern him! In fact, I can do just what I want with him!" Hoist said with a loathing voice, knowing that in theory he was right. The herd treated only its members with respect and as long as the small flier was an outsider, no one would care about anything he would do to him. However, Glide looked at in clear annoyance, being able to realize what Petrie was up to here.

"That is as long as he's an outsider. If he joins us, you will be punished as usual. I'll make sure of it." Glide said with heavy words. She held little respect for the smaller flier but even more she hated Hoist's antics. Ever since she could remember, he had been a troublemaker and as long as she could prevent him from doing harm to anyone, she'd do it. Hoist looked at her in deep annoyance but he knew she was right. Even if this newcomer had been an ideal victim for him, he knew he couldn't get away with his this if Glide was around. With an extremely hateful look, Hoist walked past the female and spoke in a cold voice as he left.

"Mind my words, one day I'll draw the line how long you can stalk me. One day you won't be this lucky." With those words, Hoist took off and headed further down the plateau and disappeared among the woods downhill from the duo's position. Petrie breathed deeply ass he realized that he had been saved barely from a bad beating. He panted in relief as he answered to Glide for her timely intervention.

"Th… thank you! Things might have gone really bad!" Petrie tried to chuckle somewhat in order to calm down again from the unsavory incident. He was glad to see that there were also some nicer fliers in addition to bullies. Glide looked at Petrie with a thoughtful look and answered to him shortly.

"Yep, things seldom go well with that moron. Always pestering those younger than him and thinking so much about himself. However, you better begin thinking how you plan to get through the coming test if cowering is all you can do. Glide's voice was rather dismissing and it didn't hold any real friendliness. Petrie realized that she had helped only to prevent Hoist from doing his things, not to help him. Nevertheless, he was thankful for her help.

"Me know that… Me name's Petrie and me can do better than that. Actually…" Petrie was going to continue when a very familiar voice called to him from above.

"Petrie! Everything's ready, those four fliers are waiting for you right now! We mustn't keep them waiting!" Pterano looked at Petrie's companion in slight surprise, not really knowing her personally. He had seen the girl many times but he had never really found out anything about her. Anyway, it wasn't important at this point. Petrie looked at his uncle in approval before he heard Glide's words to him.

"I guess I have to bid you good luck there but be prepared to prove your worth. We won't take any dead weight with us." After those words, Glide left the scene and left Petrie alone in the cliff. He was highly puzzled by what the female had meant but it was apparent that things wouldn't be as simple as he had hoped. Things were looking more complex by the minute. However, there was no time to wonder about that now. He answered to his uncle briefly before joining him in the sky.

"Let's go! Petrie feel much better already!" The young flier said as he rose to the older flier's side. Hoist had scared him deeply but Glide had seemed to be nice enough. Perhaps if he'd pass the leaders' test, there would be other fliers he could get friends with? Pterano looked at his nephew n deep thought, noticing that something else had happened between the two children than mere conversation but at this point, preparing his nephew for the coming ordeal was the most important part.

"I'm glad to hear that, Petrie. We can talk about what happened here later but there's a few things I'd like to tell you. I can speak for you before the heads of the four great lineages but only you can prove your worth to them. They won't demand perfection from you but they want you to show respect to them as well as prove that… your past is worthy of joining us. Also, they'll want you to…" The older flier was surprised as he was interrupted by his nephew. Petrie was clearly nervous but apparently the other flier had told him something about the coming conversation.

"Show that Petrie a good flier who won't slow the others down. Me already heard that." The young flier said in a forced voice, slowly beginning to wonder if he would be able to do that. His wing still hurt and he wouldn't be able to show any real feats of strength with it. Pterano nodded to him in acceptance before he continued.

"That's right. If I know anything, you have to beat some other flier of your age in some kind of flying challenge but I know there are very few fliers in the world who can beat you, if even half of the stories you've told me are true. That's why I haven't told you anything about it until now. I just hope your wing is in a good enough condition to do this." The older flier said in slight worry, full well knowing that Petrie would have an additional handicap in the challenge but he had been serious when he commended his nephew's flying skills. He had seen them himself during the search for the Stone of Cold Fire and according to Petrie, that had been only one of his adventures.

"Petrie hope so too. But me will do me best, uncle." Petrie said simply as he prepared mentally for the coming meeting. He feared that something might go wrong either in the challenge or with his past but he was prepared to do his all. He owed it to his uncle and it provided him with the best chance for survival. Pterano looked at Petrie his last words of advice before he started his descent.

"Just remember what we talked about earlier and it'll be fine. Try to calm down and let me do the initial talking." The older flier said as a small opening in the middle of a forest opened under the duo. A small waterfall opened on its side which then turned into a raging stream. The small clearing was covered with colorful flowers despite the late season and a cool breeze blew through the field. The small forest around the glade was closely bordered by steep cliffs, making the forest very hard to reach for everyone but fliers. Petrie could easily see why the herd had chosen this hidden sanctuary as one of its homes. It truly was a flier's paradise forever hidden from the eyes of the other kinds.

The young flier looked at the assembled dinosaurs in deep interest. There were a bit over a dozen fliers assembled in a circle, among them Glide which both surprised and heartened Petrie greatly. Most of them seemed middle- aged but there were also many younger ones. However, most of Petrie's attention was directed at the four fliers who stood in the middle of the circle, apparently holding much respect from the others. Pterano had already told Petrie a lot about the four leaders of the great lineages and the boy could already tell which one of them was who. To his surprise, all of them were relatively young, barely older than his own uncle.

The deep orange male standing on the left side of the semicircle had to be the one his uncle had called Peak and his expression seemed just as suspicious as Petrie had expected. He didn't look angry or mean but he certainly held little sympathy for the smaller dinosaur. Even then, there was something in him that somewhat comforted Petrie: as if beneath his grim exterior was a just, even sympathetic leader.

The next one had to be the one called Nira as she had the light red color his uncle had told him about. She seemed extremely proud and Peak's suspicion seemed to have been replaced by a sense of superiority. Petrie's earlier intuition about Peak's internal friendliness was now turned to worries about the female's sympathies. Petrie could only hope she'd turn out be friendlier than she let out.

The third one had to be Lenel who was a somewhat smaller, light tan-colored flier. He wore a somewhat absentminded expression but he looked at Petrie with some interest. However, the young flier could see that he was here only because of duty. His true interests were hard to determine at this point.

The last of the four fliers seemed to be the most approachable and Petrie could remember his uncle calling her Nimble. She held an even friendly expression and looked at the two newcomers in clear interest. Petrie looked at the four with a curious expression and despite his nervousness, he could feel that the four were respected for a reason. The initial silence was broken by a remark from Peak which started the discussion. His voice was somewhat high but not unnaturally so.

"So, Pterano, this is the one who you think should join us. I hope he knows what is expected from him." Peak went straight to the point as he seldom was a one to waste time. Petrie looked at him in surprise and he was about to answer when Pterano answered for him.

"I've told him everything he needs to know and I'm sure he won't let you down. I promise he's worthy of this great honor, respected inheritors of the Great Fliers." Pterano spoke with a sincere voice. Despite his revering words, there was no additional grandeur in his gestures. Despite his willingness to speak for himself, Petrie was somewhat relieved that there wasn't need for any additional verbiage in this meeting. The four looked at Petrie, clearly judging him carefully. The young flier felt extremely bothered by the fuss that was being made around his arrival but he understood its necessity. He was extremely relieved when the next one of the four fliers, Nimble, opened her mouth.

"Where have you come from, Petrie? It's very odd that we haven't heard of Pterano's nephew before. He has always told us that he has no family." Nimble's voice was far softer than Peak's even if it was clear that she expected to hear the full truth. The female's eyes bored into Petrie as she waited for the answer. The young flier knew that it was his turn to speak and after a brief gulp, he opened his beak.

"P… Petrie was all alone before uncle Pterano found me. I… I hadn't met him many times as me lived with me family not far to the east from here. Until… until the sharpteeth came!" Petrie started to sob at this point and he didn't even need any encouragement for it from the situation. The concept of the story was mostly true and the mere thought of his actual family was enough to bring tears into his eyes. It was enough for the young flier to use his most likely gone friends as a decoy for his personal matters but he realized that nobody would be hurt by it. For better or worse, he would have to carve out a new path in life for himself. The older fliers looked at Petrie, most of them in suspicion and disbelief, but Petrie could see that he wasn't being judged unfairly. He would have his opportunity to conclude his story before he'd be interrupted.

"We lived on a mountaintop that overlooked a large plain. Our nest was located in a small tunnel opening from its peak. Petrie met uncle Pterano a few times when he visited us. He wasn't often near us because, well… he and momma had a long fight about stupid things. Still, me and me family lived there for me whole life until… until it happened!" Despite his conflicted mental state, using hider's home and a twisted version of his actual story as a basis for his story helped him a lot to keep his thoughts assembled to the issue on hand. Only the last part of his tale was completely made up.

"Momma was looking for food for me and me siblings. We had always been safe from evil fliers because of the great hide of our nest but that didn't last. When momma was gone, four evil fliers attacked us and… and all me brothers and sisters were killed! And so was momma when she came back! Petrie hid from them for hours and me managed to lose them in the tunnels! It was pure luck that me ever found uncle after that… he already saved me life once! Me have nowhere else to go." Petrie shook his head as he spoke. Even if his siblings still lived, he had lost enough to relate to how losing your very family would feel like. Tears fell steadily to the ground as Petrie thought about his real past which wasn't much happier than the one he had just told. Pterano cleared his throat before he continued from where Petrie had concluded.

"I found him wandering near the Longbeak's river alone. I know that what you don't often accept new members to our herd but please, I'm the only family he has left. I should have been there to defend him and his siblings and that will bother me for the rest of my life. Petrie doesn't deserve to live alone at such a young age." Pterano offered to the four fliers who seemed to weigh the duo's words heavily. Surprisingly to Petrie, there was absolutely no whispering or any kind of communication between the older fliers: it seemed like each of them kept firmly to themselves. This surprised Petrie greatly as the grown-ups in the Valley had always quarreled with each other. Either these ones had already agreed on this issue or they didn't trust each other at all. Soon after Pterano had concluded his statement, Peak answered him.

"We haven't seen many scattered flier families during our travels. Where was this mountain and what did it look like?" The flier asked. He knew he wouldn't be able to know where Petrie had actually lived but he would see whether the young dinosaur knew at all what he was talking about. Nira looked at her peer with a clearly untrusting look but decided to stay silent. Petrie, on the other hand, concentrated heavily on remembering some details of the surroundings of Hider's home. After a moment of thinking, the giant stone which clearly resembled a flier came to his mind but it was possible that the other fliers would know it. He had to keep his past in as small a focus as he only could.

"As Petrie said, there be a big desert below it and a small stream on the lower hills of it. Petrie loved to play there when everything was alright. Also, me and me siblings often explore the hills and there be many cracks and paths. We would have liked to fly away from our home but momma always said we had to stay there to hide from evil fliers. Now me finally know why." Petrie's voice sounded very genuine due to the real place to which he based his tale as well as the real sorrow that flowed in his mind. His remark prompted the last of the four fliers, Lenel, to finally join the conversation.

"The closest desert is the one surrounding the Great Valley. I hope you never visited that place, did you?" The flier asked in a skeptic voice, clearly having his doubts about Petrie. Even if visiting the Valley wasn't a crime, Lenel wanted to know if Petrie had anything to do with that place. The young flier looked at the tan-colored, rather young flier and felt his stomach drop. He felt extremely bad for being forced into this situation but his uncle had told him what to answer in this situation.

"Petrie heard of it but me never went near it. Momma said it too far and it too dangerous." Petrie said in a sheepish voice, willing to give the impression that he had wanted to visit it as it was easier to believe than a mere assurance that he had never heard of it. Even through his guilt, the young flier was rather happy about himself and his success thus far in trying to sound as honest as possible under the circumstances. Lenel seemed somewhat satisfied by his answer and the next remark brightened his mood greatly.

"It seems like everything is in order. I have nothing else to ask at this point." Nimble said as she looked dryly at her peers. Even if she would never let an unfit flier into the herd, neither did she like pestering others because of her own, most likely ungrounded doubts. Even if new members were a rather rare occasion, this wasn't a unique event and the four knew this was really a routine interrogation. Peak sighed slightly as he couldn't really object to Nimble's words. There seemed to be nothing really suspicious about this flier. However, there remained one final thing to be done before Petrie could be welcome among the herd.

"Very well, Petrie. We trust that what you tell us is true but even then, a tragic past doesn't mean we have to take more burdens among us. You have to prove that you can keep up and even benefit the others in the future." Peak said in a more relaxed voice, clearly more willing to get over this thing at this point. Petrie felt a shiver of concern flow through his innards until he felt a hand fall down on his shoulder and a warm whisper in his ear.

"You've done well, Petrie. Really well. I'm sure you will beat any challenge before you." Pterano said silently as the duo prepared for the announcement. Petrie glanced at his uncle and nodded happily. He had surprised even himself and the fact that his uncle approved of his performance reassured the young flier greatly. It was Lenel who announced the challenge.

"First we need a good rival for you during this test… Glide, could you come here?" The male said as his eyes scoured the audience. There were very little children among them and the female was the first one who caught his eye. The younger flier glanced around herself in surprise, not expecting to face Petrie again this quickly. Last time she had helped him out of pity and loathing for Hoist but now she was called on to determine whether he had the right to join the herd. This wasn't something she would have expected or wanted but there was simply no option of rejecting Lenel's request about this issue. With slightly hesitant steps, the young female started to walk forward.

Petrie, on the other hand, was surprised by his turn of events. He had seen Glide among the attendees but for some reason, he didn't expect to meet her during this challenge. However, he was slightly relieved by this fact as he would have hated to do it against the kinds of Hoist. Even if he hardly knew Glide, he knew that there would be some kind of mutual respect between the duo which relieved Petrie somewhat. He and Glide exchanged nods as the latter walked near to the four older fliers. Even then, Petrie couldn't help but fear for the coming minutes. He knew this challenge would be far from an easy one. Nira proceeded to explain the further rules for the little contest. Her voice was rather dry but it was clear that she knew the significance of this test.

"Petrie, you have to prove that you won't be a hindrance to us and for that, you have to beat one of us your age. The flier here called Glide will be your opponent this time. The two of you will fly to the higher slopes of these hills and behind them lies a group of mesa-like hills. Above the highest of them lies two large yellowish berries which you will have to bring to us here. Needless to say, neither of you can sabotage your opponent during this race and you too, Glide, must give your all. Petrie, you have to beat Glide or at the very least not lose to her by more than half a minute and you are able to join this herd. Is everything clear?" The older flier asked in a questioning and distant look. The earlier suspicions were slowly being wiped away from the leaders' faces but that didn't help Petrie greatly.

The boy felt a great fear rise within him as he tried his still-wounded wing. Even if the earlier intense pain had all but evaporated, it still hurt to move it and the old injury would make this race extremely difficult and even painful. Despite his hesitance to admit it, deep inside Petrie had little doubt that he'd be able to beat his competitor in normal circumstances but now, things would become more complicated than they should have.

The other flier's fears weren't lost on Glide but it didn't move her greatly. Even if Petrie seemed to be nicer than many others in the herd, he was still an outsider and if he wasn't up to this task, he would never deserve to be anything else. Glide had enough on her mind already and being forced to test Petrie wasn't what she would have liked to do. Still, she would give Petrie a fair chance to prove himself. He deserved at least that much. Nimble looked at the two in anticipation and after a moment, she said rather softly.

"You may go but don't forget to play fair! We will know if you break the rules!" The large female said and it wasn't long before the two children took off towards the higher slopes of the mountains. From now on, it was up to them to see whether all of the fliers had gathered for nothing.

Both of the fliers started to take off immediately but the male was highly dispirited by Glide's wings' more powerful gusts, giving her a clear early advantage. Petrie looked at Glide's disappearing form as he tried to gather momentum for his flight. His first few powerful flaps were accompanied by deep pain and even if Petrie managed to get airborne, his initial speed was too slow. The young flier cringed as he could feel his uncle's eyes bore into his back while he tried to begin his chase. The mesa was apparently rather far so he would have a chance to show his experience as a flier before the end. Even if his wing was still injured, the boy still had a few tricks in his disposal.

A brief snort came from Glide's beak as she looked quickly after herself. She was stunned to see how quickly Petrie dropped from her pace. It meant either that he was injured or the weakest flier she had ever met but it mattered little at this point. He would have to do something to save himself from defeat but Glide was at least happy to be seen this favorably against the newcomer.

The wide plateau soon turned into a harsher if more even ground which would rise slowly for a bit shorter time. Petrie looked in worry as Glide was only a small spot in the sky at this point but he was slowly reaching a good speed himself. The instinct of competition started to quickly rise in Petrie as he saw the ground grow ever more distant below him. Despite the still-aching wing, Petrie knew that this was the life he was supposed to lead. Away from the troubles of the ground, simply looking at the horizon in awe and preparing for the next adventure. For the first time since leaving Hider's mountain, a genuine smile rose to the flier's face despite his still uphill battle to reach Glide in time.

The young flier looked at his competitor in expectation as he saw that she was no longer creating more distance between the two. Still, in order for him to win this challenge, Petrie knew he would have to do something unexpected, something that would surprise Glide and the four leaders of the herd. Luckily, Petrie knew that he was up for it: he hadn't survived all of his times with his friends for nothing. _Just wait, Glide! Petrie will show what me can do!_

Suddenly, Petrie raised his wings to a sideways position, using it to gain altitude and quick. The wind was blowing from in front of the two fliers, making Petrie's efforts extremely tiring but it also slowed Glide down a bit. However, if all of Petrie's experiences from falling had taught him anything, it was that controlling his own movements in extremely high speeds was instrumental in the perfect command of flight. Petrie knew his mother had often told him to fly safe and not risk an injury with too brave tricks that might backfire. However, the boy knew he had no choice at this point. He would have to use all the speed he might gain from a long dive downwards and to use the wind to retain his momentum during his trip back to his uncle and the others. Petrie's heart grew cold as he realized how difficult it would be to grab the berry from the cliff on that speed but he knew that was a chance he had to take at this point but that was a matter for later. Right now, he would have to locate the mesa before he would be able to put his plan into motion.

* * *

The highest peaks of the mountains started to slowly get behind Glide as she looked at the wide scene before her. The mesa where the berries were could be seen far below her and it wouldn't take many minutes until she'd reach it. She was slowly relaxing her pace as she saw how far behind Petrie was getting from her. She lamented the lack of competition somewhat but on the other hand, it only made her job ceremonial. Soon, she would be free to rejoin her best friend, Ortin, for the rest of the day and to slowly prepare for the next migration of the herd. Petrie's fate would be a shame but only the strong thrived in this world. That was why the fliers ruled it and that was why the weakest of the fliers had no place among the others. That was how it had always been and that was how it was supposed to be.

* * *

Petrie, on the other hand, had far different ideas. The highest mountain peaks looked like mere hills below him and he could hardly spot Glide as she flew forward the centermost mesa in a quick pace. Petrie was many minutes' flight behind her but his surprise move could turn the tables of this challenge. The young dinosaur looked in concern as he saw Glide land on the mesa to get her berry from the ground and embark on her flight back to the others. It was clear that he would have to give his next trick his all or he would find himself all alone again, probably even drawing his uncle to the disaster with him. Petrie knew this wasn't a possibility he could allow to come to pass.

However, any hurry could prove extremely dangerous in these speeds. Petrie could feel the wind growing slightly stronger which would help him keep us his speed later on. The mesa was far below him and trying to estimate the exact distance was difficult. However, something within Petrie told him to just trust his instincts. The young flier shut his eyes and took a deep breath as he prepared for the deep dive. _Well, here me go! Petrie not gonna fail, uncle!_

Suddenly, the boy opened his eyes and pointed his wings steeply downwards. There were serious upwards air streams but Petrie managed to dodge them and keep his balance in check. His wing strained under the stress but Petrie knew this was something he would have to live with for the next minutes. Water was beginning to form in the flier's eyes as he saw the mesa grow swiftly larger below him and Petrie moved a bit further away from it. He knew the next few seconds would be crucial and the next moment, Petrie once again turned his wings into a more stable position, immediately turning his direction towards the mountain.

His eyes scoured the hilltop feverishly, trying to see where the berry was. Luckily for him, it lied in the middle of the mesa in a small crack to protect it from the winds. The time seemed to slow immensely as Petrie tried to turn himself towards the spot in order to get the best shot at grabbing it. It would by no means be an easy task as Petrie was flying faster than he ever had before and the tailwind helped him retain that momentum. The mesa grew close in an immense speed and Petrie prepared for the decisive moment. The berry grew closer and closer… until Petrie quickly but decisively grabbed it into his beak.

Even the flier himself was surprised at his success and it took immense willpower to snap himself out of his astonishment and prevent from crashing into the ground with the crushing speed. Petrie quickly started to strive for more altitude, just in time to prevent from hitting a large boulder near the spot where the berry had lied seconds before. Even then, Petrie gulped as he looked at the sight before himself. The mountains that had looked like miserable hills from the sky were actually formidable hindrances at the more traditional altitudes. Petrie gulped as he realized that upholding his indispensable speed and navigating his way through the mountains in time wouldn't be a simple task.

* * *

For the another flier, nothing in the hills seemed too complex. Glide hadn't seen Petrie since grabbing her berry and she expected the male to have probably given up and flown away voluntarily to avoid the shame of accepting defeat. The female flier still flew in a normal speed but she knew she no longer had to try to push herself to her limits. Her victory was all but certain as Petrie was nowhere to be seen at this point… until she heard a rather loud screech not far away from her.

* * *

Petrie cried in shock as he realized that he had no option but to fly through a narrow gorge, one that he would have probably tried to avoid even in a normal speed. Still, he didn't have the time to avoid it. The flier shuddered as he flew through the rough tunnel of protruding spikes and quick turns. All the sentient thought had given way to natural instincts which struggled to navigate his way from this most dangerous of situations. After many seconds of fighting, however, Petrie managed to rise up from the crack to the world above.

Once again, Petrie took a deep breath of relief as he had survived another extremely dangerous trick that, in a worst-case-scenario, might have turned fatal but he had survived with flying colors. What was more, he could see his opponent flying before him and he was quickly closing the distance. Petrie's face turned into a wide smile as he realized what that meant. _Petrie still have a chance! Now wings, please don't fail me now!_

* * *

Glide looked in astonishment as she saw the boy fly after her. He had appeared from out of nowhere and even worse, he was flying at a terrifying speed. That was a trick Glide couldn't have explained no matter how she looked at it but the challenge wasn't over yet. The plateau which they had left from opened far away in the distance but it wouldn't be long before the fliers would reach it. Right now, Glide was flying above a pass through the mountains which would soon open into a small clearing above the plateau which served as her target. After the clearing opened only forest between her and the leaders. On a sour note, Petrie was gaining on her fast. With all her might and strength, Glide flapped her wings to reach the best possible speed. The victory of this challenge was on a razor's edge.

* * *

Minutes dragged on slowly as Pterano gazed expectantly into the horizon. It had been almost half an hour since the duo's departure and concerns were slowly beginning to form in his head. Even if he knew his nephew was a highly capable and experienced flier, it might have been too early to put him through this challenge at this point. His wing had seemed pained earlier and it was unlikely that Petrie's mood helped him any on this challenge. However, Pterano knew there was no way it could have been delayed without raising suspicions. For better or worse, Petrie received only one chance to show his stride.

The flier gazed carefully at the four higher-ranked fliers and he could see that they were quickly becoming rather tired of the waiting. Still, he was beyond grateful that they had given Petrie this chance to prove himself. There was no doubt that his relationship with Lenel had helped him in getting this meeting gathered. The tan-colored flier had offered him a sort of pact in that he sometimes did some tasks to Lenel like supporting him on meetings as well as doing some scouting for him. In return, Lenel gave him some favors such as having some of his concerns addressed to and some simple benefits in the herd. Despite his resolution to never venture away from an honest, honorable path, he would still be more than happy help the flier who he deemed the most worthy of the four fliers to lead.

Not that Petrie needed to know about such issues. The poor boy had went through enough as it was and he was too young to be drawn into these herd politics. Pterano would tell him sooner or later about it but for now, he would keep his personal dealings to himself. Still, none of that mattered any as long as Petrie hadn't beaten Glide in this vital challenge. The flier hadn't lied when he said he would follow Petrie into the life of solitude but he dearly hoped that wouldn't come to pass.

The older flier was looking to the ground deep in thought as he suddenly heard voices of cheer and expectation around him. When he turned his gaze upwards, his own face fell steeply as he saw Glide appearing from over the trees in the distance, with Petrie nowhere to be seen. Pterano's hopeful expression turned into a nearly desperate one as the seconds passed without Petrie appearing after the girl. Only a moment more and the half minute would be done and Petrie completely defeated in this challenge. However, his faith in his nephew had been strong ever since the duo's first meeting. Petrie was smart enough to get through this. Pterano knew it.

After a highly agonizing moment, the flier's trust in his nephew was finally rewarded. Petrie appeared from among the mountains but he was desperately behind his competitor. At this pace, the boy would lose this race. However, after a moment, Pterano saw something surprising. Petrie was approaching like a flying rock and he was clearly faster than Glide. Pterano could see that it was going to be a tough flight but Petrie still had a chance. Absentmindedly, Pterano crossed his arms and whispered silently to the wind.

"Hurry up, Petrie! I know you can do this!"

* * *

Glide could see from the expressions of the fliers that while she was still in the lead, the last leg would be all but easy. Somehow, Petrie had managed to surprise her and drag her into this agonizing situation. She would reach the opening in less than a minute but would she be the winner or someone who had just been defeated by a complete outsider? Even if she was impressed by Petrie's display, that wasn't a possibility the girl would wish to go through. Glide closed her eyes and started to flap her wings more furiously than in a long time, resolute to give this home stretch her all.

* * *

Whimpers could be heard from Petrie's mouth as he charged forward, his initial momentum highly upheld by the strong tailwind. He could see how far ahead Glide still was but his speed was unmatched by the work her muscles did at this point. Petrie narrowed his eyes as he struggled to find the most favorable air stream to finally decided this urgent challenge and to earn his place among the herd. The wind whistled in Petrie's ears as the forest below him grew ever closer. The flier's wings had stayed mostly still during the glide and they had been spared most of the stress. With immense excitement, Petrie realized that he would reach Glide in time, despite the girl's feverish struggles. Petrie could already see his uncle waiting for him in the distance and it was at that point that Petrie realized that he should quickly start to slow down his speed.

However, that turned out be easier said than done. He was moving too fast to be stopped at this point, at least in time. Petrie didn't have time to react before he dashed past Glide, right towards the goal… and right towards the canopy of the trees. The flier quickly lost his balance and with two swift somersaults, he reached the clearing where the other fliers were waiting. However, he couldn't regain his control in time to avoid further problems.

The young flier hit the ground with immense speed, sending him rolling forward in an almost comic fashion. It took many seconds until he finally, stopped. Petrie's eyes were spinning in his head as he realized what had just transpired. The race was over and he had won. He had managed to justify his uncle's trust in him and earned his place in the herd. Petrie raised his head slightly from the ground as he saw the other fliers quickly running towards him. However, Petrie said only one brief statement before he once again fell to the ground in immense relief for his miraculous victory.

"Petrie won't be doing that again anytime soon. It seems me not so good at landing after all."

Hearty laughter rang through the assembled crowd as they heard the winner's comment. Pterano smiled widely as he looked at his nephew. He had prevailed despite his injury and shown what he had learned during his many years of adventure. Pterano could see that Petrie was unharmed by his fall but he needed a lot of rest after everything he'd gone through. The older dinosaur looked at his nephew in sympathy: he or anyone else wouldn't be going to deny the relentless young flier's well-earned rest.

* * *

 **Even through this unexpected ordeal, Petrie has managed to forge himself a new if temporary home. His time of loneliness is over but that doesn't mean he'll have a simpler time from now on. The herd contains many less convenient dinosaurs as we have seen and Petrie still needs friends if he's to survive among the other fliers. I hope you found the developments in this installment interesting and I can promise a lot more intrigue and drama along with warmer moments in the future. Thank you for reading and see you in the next chapter!**

 **The Rhombus: Thank you for your words concerning my handling of Ruby's character. I feel like she deserves a chance to show the experience she has gained during her life in a serious situation like this. I can't imagine her early childhood being as pleasant as the Gang's time in the Valley and that's why I wouldn't say her change is that profound. Sure, vital character development is happening but Ruby has learned most of the tricks she's using now far earlier. Even if she has matured a lot, she's still the same fast runner we know.**

 **Also, I'm glad you liked the sneaking scene. I felt like it was a good (and** **simultaneously** **comic and dead serious) way to introduce the two other omnivores. Each of the three knows that alliances shift constantly but they are all capable of forging true friendships even if the outcome of their quest remains to be unseen. And yes, both our main characters are now with completely different groups than before and their old view of the world is quickly being challenged. I hope this chapter is a good continuation in that respect! :)**


	16. Journey Towards the Distant Lands

**Journey Towards the Distant Lands**

The chilling wind started to slowly die down as the shadows begun to grow longer in the wide fields of the Mysterious Beyond. After their initial joining together, the following hours had seen a somewhat less talkative period as each of the three dinosaurs knew that they would have to cover as much ground as they absolutely could today. Even if the two thinclaws had some kind of idea where they were going, they had never tread these areas before. All of their knowledge had come from their now-lost family, making the journey's completion as unsure to them as it was to Ruby.

As a sign of the gradually ending plains, a few hills started to appear in the distance but they were far from real obstacles. Still, Yarel felt some relief that the monotony of the endless barrens would be finally replaced by something new. Despite the rapid pace they were running on, the male thinclaw's mind worked on overdrive as he tried to ponder who his new companion actually was. As things stood, the only thing he knew about Ruby was that she was as lost as he and sister were and her beaten expression told that her past hadn't been a happy one. What had happened to her and where had she come from?

Yarel found it extremely strange that a lonely fast runner would have survived in the Beyond on her own but even stranger was the fact that she appeared to know where her family was. If she had always known about their location, how had she been separated this badly from then in the first place? The fact that she had been so far away from her family while still knowing their location didn't make any sense to the young thinclaw and he found her whole situation highly puzzling. After all, while he and Greentail shared the same fate as so many other young dinosaurs under the Bright Circle, they had never learned what happened to their parents, even if the implications of their absence were rather morbid. Clearly there was a lot to learn about his and his sister's new companion. Following the long hours of endless running, Yarel's mind started to gradually shift to the days following his and his sister's forced adaptation into the cruel, never-ending competition for life in the Mysterious Beyond.

 _The young thinclaw looked in clear fear around himself, the narrow gorge slowly beginning to open up as a cliff overlooking an inconsolable expanse of lifeless desert. His sister seemed to be in slightly better spirits but both of the adolescent dinosaurs knew that their survival was highly uncertain at this point. Even then, it was Yarel who was a bit more mentally taxed by the loss of their family and this new, dangerous life they had been forced to adapt during the past week. He spoke to his sister in a trembling voice as the hot wind blew against his face._

" _This doesn't look like a good way to go. I don't think mom and dad went here. Oh, how I hoped we had never met those damned spiketails! Without them, everything would be still well!" The boy said in a hopeless voice, the stress of these horrible days quickly getting into him. Greentail wasn't in much better spirits but at least she tried to keep her thoughts from wandering in the same depths of despair as her brother's. She went on to check that it was safe enough for the duo to descent to the plain from the rather high cliff they were standing on. After seeing that there were enough footholds, she answered to her brother with a deep sigh and a saddened face._

" _So do I. You should have stayed silent about your hunger in the first place but… I guess it's not really your fault. We were all hungry at that point. But the worst part is that we don't even know if mom and dad made it out from that mess! We could find them now… or… or…" Tears started to fall from Greentail's eyes as she tried to fight against the terrifying images of her parents being crushed under the feet of the massive, frenzied leaf eaters. The last sight of the stampede was one that neither of the siblings would never forget or forgive. Yarel looked at his sister in a guilty look and he answered to her quickly._

" _It's just not fair! I tried to say that we wouldn't have to begin the hunt but that didn't matter after I had to whine about my hunger. If… if they're gone, it's all my fault!" Yarel said in desperation, earning a sympathetic look from his sis sister. In her heart, the female couldn't question her brother's logic but it mattered little at this point. The two siblings had only each other now and they would have to stand together. In a silent voice, Greentail whispered._

" _Let's go, Yarel. We've got to find food or we'll starve. I'm sure that we'll find them soon enough." Greentail said as she looked at her brother for the last time before beginning to walk silently forward. She knew that neither of them believed her words but at the very least, the two would have to keep on believing. That was all either of them could do at this point. Yarel looked at the other thinclaw sadly before starting to follow her downwards. The two had a difficult climb ahead of them._

Even if neither of his companions could see it, a haunted look returned to Yarel's eyes as he thought about that day. Not only was it one the first ones in their new lives but also one that could have been their last if they hadn't been cunning enough. Even if few knew about it, the sharpteeth were far from the only danger his kind faced on the endless, unforgiving plains of those lands.

 _The two siblings resumed their directionless march soon after they had reached the ground. The duo's hunger was becoming a rather overwhelming companion to both of them but one that they couldn't get rid of quickly at this point. With resigned faces, they begun to walk by the hills, trying to find something that could help them calm their hunger or, in a miraculous situation, give them a flicker of hope of finding their family again. The two knew the latter possibility was a distant one as they had run for nearly an hour from the spiketail stampede. The frenzied leaf eaters had been numerous and they hadn't let any of the thinclaw's escape easily. The hope of rejoining them still lived but it was becoming more of a hopeful thinking at this point._

 _Even if both of the young adolescents were mentally tasked at this point, it was only each other's presence that prevented them from falling at this point because of exhaustion and despair. Even if no words were exchanged, the two could feel the other sibling's support and the hope they offered of a better future to each other. Ever since their early childhood, they had shared everything they had and worked as one in the face of every obstacle. That didn't change at this fearful time. Yarel was far too shocked to even thinking about smiling but his sister's presence gave him the courage to move on. Without Greentail, he would have given up and even if the two had never spoken of it before, he knew his sister felt the same way towards him._

 _The two young thinclaws walked silently forward, hoping to find some kind of reprieve in the middle of the monotonous hellscape. They were too emotionally taxed at this point to effectively even investigate their surroundings in the way they were supposed to, let alone the skies above them. A rather small, near white sharptooth flier grinned above the duo before turning away, headed towards a clear destination with great speed._

Yarel looked at his sister in deep appreciation, again remembering how lucky they were to still both be in this world together. That day, the two siblings faced their first real injustice and the moment when they realized what kind of threats and uncertainties they faced in the world. Unlike most of the other halfteeth, thinclaws weren't afraid to join up with other kinds if it helped their own survival. They weren't as fast as the fast runners or as stealthy as the hidden runners but they safeguarded their situations with more care and calculation than the other kinds. Those were traits that had saved the two siblings on that somewhat distant day.

 _Greentail cringed as she felt like her feathers felt like they were about to catch fire. The Bright Circle had burned down on them for hours on end and it felt like things were only growing more desperate by the minute. They wouldn't be able to continue walking for much longer and even if she did a better job in hiding it than her brother, she didn't feel much better than he did. Without the cool of the still-faraway night or water, they wouldn't get much further. She couldn't help her mind wandering to the time just two days earlier when everything was still well. The two siblings had been supposed to seek our their own paths in a few Cold Times, it was true, but they wouldn't have wanted it to end like this. Also, from a more practical point of view, they hadn't completed their training with their parents which could prove to be a fatal flaw if the two youngsters wouldn't be able to learn them by themselves._

 _Her thoughts wandered in the visions of her lost happiness but, slowly but increasingly, the female's ears started to catch worrying voices. They were still distant and vague but, hearing their consistency and increasing loudness, Greentail felt the chill creep up her spine. It felt like a large herd of dinosaurs were heading their way, directly their way, which made the young thinclaw look around her in fear. She still couldn't see them anywhere but the steady, drumming voice of menace grew ever closer. She quickly turned to her brother and spoke to him in fear. It was clear from his concerned face that he, too, had picked up the ominous sound._

" _Can you hear that, Yarel? Come, we must stay hidden! Let's get behind those rocks, now!" The female said and sprinted towards a formation of rocks near the mountainside. They were large enough to hide a sharptooth and the whole mountainside seemed to be covered by them. No weak-scented leaf eater would ever look behind those rocks even if they knew about the duo's presence near this mountainside. They should be safe in their newfound hiding place for now. The two siblings were hiding on a small ledge behind the boulders, the low cliff overlooking the desert and enabling the two a good, safe view of the soon-to-arrive dinosaurs. When the first ones came into the duo's view far in the distance, Yarel gasped and whispered to her sister I astonishment and anger._

" _B… but those are the same spiketails that killed mom and dad! I know the smug, self-righteous face of their leader!" The male said in seething anger, not giving further thought to the possibility that their reunion wasn't a complete coincidence. Greentail glanced at the herd for a long time and she could see her brother had been right. But how and why were they on the trail of the two thinclaws? Hadn't they already taken enough from them? Deep bitterness started to resonate from both siblings' faces as they looked at the horde of spiketails growing closer to them. To both of their anger and increasing concern, it seemed like they were every as bit determined to do something as the siblings were to survive._

" _What are they doing here? They couldn't… unless…" Greentail said as she looked at the sky. She had heard that lone fliers could often make pacts with any herd if they thought it could help their own survival or give them something they yearned. The female looked at the sky and it didn't take long for her to see that there was a sharptooth flier flying above them. Greentail's heart sank as she realized that the villain had most likely been spying on them the whole time and was guiding the spiketails towards them right now. But why? The thinclaw couldn't come up with a reason why they would be hunted like this… until she remembered something that quickly made her almost panic._

" _Mom and dad had already attacked one of their children and maybe they could have killed it and some of the others! That flier is guiding them right towards us!" She whispered in anxiety to her brother who looked at the spy in clear anger as it flew once again over them. Yarel knew that they couldn't escape from its sight which meant that they couldn't let it follow them any longer. One way or another, it had to be either persuaded to leave their trail or… otherwise made sure it would never bother the siblings again. Soon, as a desperate move, Yarel started to shout and make faces to the flier. At this point, the spiketails were still too far to hear anything with their miniscule sense of hearing._

" _Get here if you dare, you stupid beakface! Come get us if you so badly want to linger here, sharptooth! we're not afraid of you!" Yarel cried, soon getting the flier's attention. It tried to ignore the male at first but Yarel didn't let up his taunts. Greentail looked at her brother in alarm and said to him in an angry voice._

" _What are you doing, Yarel?! Stop it or you'll tell our location to this whole desert!" To her horror, the male didn't seem to give her any heed and continued with his shouting. After a short while, the flier stirred in clear annoyance and flew closer to the halfteeth, hissing in very broken leafeater._

" _Silence, brats! I no need to listen that when me wait for food!" The sharptooth flier hissed, preparing to turn around when Yarel answered to him in a loathing voice, willing to taunt him even further._

" _Nice skill in leaf eater! I always knew a flier who has to trust the spiketails can't even get his own food!" Yarel answered in sharptooth, willing to get the discussion going no matter what. The sharptooth looked at the two in amusement, willing to continue this debate with his next meals._

" _At least I will still get to eat whereas you have already eaten for the last time! The spiketails have a bone to pick with you but all I care about is the warm, juicy blobs they will leave when they are done with you! Only a little more time and those fools might even get here! Spend your last moments well!" The flier still flew well over the siblings in order to avoid any chance of accidents. Yarel knew that his whole idea was extremely risky and had many problems but he'd have to try. The two could outrun the spiketails for a while but sooner or later, they would catch them. Getting rid of this flier was the only way they could hope to survive._

" _So all you care is food. You're not too clever as we two wouldn't keep you fed for three days! Any one of those spiketails would give you a better meal or even any corpse that might lie out there! You a really bad even in these sharptooth things! Yarel tried to raise some curiosity or at least anger in the flier, trying to get him listen to him or at least get to his reach. The older dinosaur looked at the thinclaw oddly, not knowing what the brat was up to but he wouldn't just let this pipsqueak begin mocking him._

" _There is nothing that can save you at this point and you know it! If you wish to make it easy, my pawns will be happy to just end it all in one stomp!" The flier said, sitting down on a high rock above the two siblings. Greentail stayed silent as she realized that Yarel's "plan" was the only thing that could save them now._

" _Why don't you do it yourself, beakbrain? Are you too scared of us?" Yarel smirked, knowing that this was the most obvious line of thought to go for. The flier snorted in clear loathing, not twitching a finger as a response._

" _Why would I when I'll get to eat you in any case. I have no reason to get involved in any way!" The flier smiled toxically, staying above the two adolescents. At this point, Greentail decided to intervene as she couldn't stand simply staying by in this discussion. Also, it could give the conversation a more interesting turn._

" _But we do know where you can find more food! We thinclaws know a lot of things!" The female said happily even if her mind was growing increasingly desperate. The duo could see the spiketails moving ever faster towards the duo, the herd being only fifty longneck lengths away. The flier looked at the two in interest, knowing there would likely be nothing of worth the younglings knew but he would try to milk out any piece of information he could at this point. His victims didn't have much of a choice in any case. Yarel looked at her sister awkwardly but let her continue her tale. He didn't have much to lose anyway._

" _There's a beautiful land surrounded by mountains and rivers, one that has been the paradise of the leaf-eaters as long as anyone remembers! Dad said it is a good place to live for a sharptooth too! It is only six daytrips away and you wouldn't have to hunt with the dumb leafeaters anymore!" Greentail exclaimed in fake eagerness, knowing that the land was real but she couldn't care less where the flier was as long as he wasn't bothering her and her brother. The flier looked at the two in a judging expression._

" _Are you talking about the Great Valley? If you are, just forget it! That place is guarded by hordes of fliers and it would be a suicide to even get near it! If that's the best you can offer me, just give up!" The white flier said, once again rising to his wings. Yarel realized what her sister was striving at and answered the flier._

" _No, that's not it! We're…" At this point, Yarel was cut off by a cry behind the three dinosaurs. The spiketails were now within a shouting range of the flier. He turned to them and said to the two siblings before leaving._

" _Don't worry, I'll lead them off for now but don't think I'll let you go! I want to know everything you wished to say. Now, shoo, go while I distract them!" The flier said as he took off towards the spiketails, leaving the two siblings stare after him in confusion and momentary relief. Had they truly managed to buy the flier to their side? Yarel turned to his sister as they started to sprint further way while trying to stay hidden behind the rocks._

" _Why did you bring up that place, Greentail? There's nothing of interest in that land! Why did it come to your mind?" The male said, trying to find out what his sister had been after. To his puzzlement, her answer didn't bear any resemblance of doubt when she answered._

" _It just did… when I tried to think about what dad told us. He always said that the Dell of Change held many old mysteries within it and I couldn't help but say it… The way he told about it always intrigued me. He said that even the dinosaurs living there know nothing about its past anymore… I'd really like to see it someday." Greentail said as her mind wandered in the many mythical tales passed on to her and her brother about the ancient home of the legendary herds of old, riddled in untold tales now remembered only by very few families anywhere, her own one of them. Yarel frowned as he heard her answer. He had never thought about those tales in as great detail as he had often seen them as some kind of bedtime stories. The fact that they were brought up now puzzled him greatly but on the other hand, there was no time to waste._

" _Do you see that, Greentail? The spiketails are moving to the other direction! It seems like our tale really worked! The flier really thought that your stories were worth sparing us!" Yarel said in deep gratitude, feeling the sweet relief flow to every inch of his body. Greentail returned his smile as the two young dinosaurs continued to struggle to advance in the unsavory rocky ground. It wasn't long before the flier once again appeared in the duo's line of sight, this time the siblings only welcoming his presence. He landed near the two and put a more friendly face than before._

" _Those fools are going the wrong way, thanks to me! You may show me your gratitude by telling me if this land of plenty exists and how can I reach it! Tell me and you are free to go!" The flier's mouth turned into a mean grin that sent shivers through the siblings' spines but they knew they were largely at this flier's mercy. Greentail gulped before she started to speak._

" _It… it does exist! I heard that there have always countless herds of dinosaurs living there and that should also be good for you! As I said, you can fly to it in six days, just past the Great Swamp, the Threehorn Peak and the White Hills! I promise you that you'll live much better out there than here!" The sharptooth listened in interest, knowing that the siblings weren't likely to lie in this situation. They sounded honest and their directions seemed logical enough. He turned to Yarel and asked a simple, final question._

" _Does she speak the truth? Is it as she claims?" The sharptooth asked, earning a brief nod from the male. The flier looked at the two for a moment and suddenly, he took off and emitted a long, loud whistle. Greentail turned to him quickly and cried in fear._

" _What are you doing?! They'll hear us!" She yelled, earning a mocking expression from the treacherous flier._

" _If I'm going on that long flight, I'll need a little snack first! Did you honestly think I'll just let a good, easy meal run away because of a promise? Fools!" The flier said as he begun to rise higher to alert the spiketails of his exact position. The siblings exchanged a quick glance and took two, large rocks from the ground and after a brief moment of aiming, threw them at the flier. He was too sure of his own intelligence to even bother looking downwards. Soon, the two sizeable rocks hit him, one in his head and one in his chest. They caused enough shock and pain for the flier to cause him to lose balance and fall towards the ground and quickly, he dropped to the ground, not far from the thinclaws. He dropped with his head hitting the ground first, his forehead crashing on the ground violently. The thinclaws looked at the flier in disgust and Greentail started to walk towards him in an outraged, determined look. When Yarel realized what she was up to, he yelled quickly after her._

" _No! He might have tricked us but we can't begin killing anyone we wish! We…" Yarel said in clear alarm. He held nothing but disgust and hate towards the untrustworthy villain but he wasn't willing to drift to the life of a killer, whether or not the dinosaur in question deserved it. Greentail looked at him in surprise and her expression quickly turned into a darker one._

" _We cannot keep this traitor chasing us until we get crushed by the damn spiketails! I'm not sure if this idiot deserves to die but at least I know that we don't! It's either us or him and you know it, Yarel!" Greentail said as she turned around to approach the wounded, unconscious flier again. Yarel looked at his sister in a bothered way, knowing that she was right. However, he couldn't silence the sound of conscience whispering in his ears. He wanted to think that the flier wouldn't be able to follow them at this point and he had often wished to avoid bloodshed until it was a complete necessity._

" _There are other ways to keep him from following us! A flier who cannot fly has no way of spying on us. There's nothing we get from sparing him but if we start killing others, where will it end? Even an injury might make the spiketails kill him but then it is his own fault for joining them, not ours. We are not sharpteeth and we can also choose when we should kill and when not!" Yarel tried to reason, moving closer to his sister to prepare to do his deed. Greentail was about to answer when the ground suddenly started to shake violently. In a flicker of fear, the female realized they had forgotten the real threat and suddenly, she yelled to her brother._

" _Run or we'll be surrounded! Do it, quick!" With a quick and precise strike, Yarel sliced the entirety of the flier's wing, creating a deep cut that at points penetrated the whole membrane. This sharptooth wouldn't fly for a very long time and there was a chance he never would. The pool of blood under the wing grew quickly larger but the wound alone wouldn't be lethal. Without an infection or any other predator, he would live. The young thinclaw looked at his handiwork in regret until he heard a raged yell from before him. Yarel knew his time thinking about his deeds was up._

" _Finally you'll pay, sick child killers! We'll sent you to the Great Beyond with your cursed family, cowards! I promise it!" The apparent leader of the spiketail herd yelled as he charged towards the two omnivores. Both Yarel and Greentail felt a heavy flicker of hatred flow through their minds at the mention of their family but any sensible creature wouldn't in the way of a charging spiketail herd. Yarel looked at the leaf eaters in terror and followed his sister as quick as he only could. There would be no mercy from the spiketails and a quick flight was their only opportunity to escape._

Deep fear flowed through Yarel's mind as he thought about those moments. To his and his sister's disaster, the leaf eaters had directed them to a dead end, the flier apparently having had the time to tell them the best course of action in their mission. The sight of the high slopes all around them with the massive dinosaurs charging at them was something he'd never forget.

 _"We're… we're trapped! There's nowhere we can go!" Yarel panted as he looked in despair at the high cliffs. The raging spiketails would be here in a second and there would be no escape from their wrath. Greentail looked at her brother in fear, knowing that he was right. No mercy would be given but she wasn't about to give the comfort of victory to the stupid spiketails. There was only one way to go to: the two would have to climb the slopes upwards and hope that the spiketails wouldn't be able to find the duo again._

" _Climb, Yarel! We have to get away from them, now!" The female yelled as she jumped to a slightly gentler slope, using her claws to secure a small if satisfactory foothold. Yarel followed shortly, knowing that they wouldn't be joining their family in the Great Beyond just yet. They would have to pass on their memories, their stories and their knowledge. Too much was at the stake for the two siblings to be trampled by the brainless spiketails at this point. Slowly but surely, the two adolescents dragged upwards, ever closer to the first cliffs and away from their chasers' grasp for good._

 _One of the deputies of the herd could see what was happening and he knew that if they managed to get to the higher slopes of the hill, all would be lost. Their children would go unavenged and the abominable young halfteeth would only spread ever more pain and sorrow to everyone around them. Even the sharpteeth fought with some honor, facing their victims in battle but these monsters only sneaked around at night, waiting for the chance to butcher an innocent child without remorse. The mere thought of it caused the deputy to cry in cold fury._

" _Well, don't just stand there, prevent them from escaping! Follow me!" The large spiketail ran to the wall below the two siblings and started to beat the wall with his mighty tail. The other spiketails noticed what he was doing and it was mere seconds until the wall shuddered with the force of the spiketails beating it. Yarel looked at the scene below him and for a moment, he knew all was over. He knew that he was about to be wiped to the middle of the herd, crushed under their massive feet. He looked at his sister who seemed equally desperate about their situation. They prepared for their inevitable end… until Yarel realized something that might help them. There was a small ledge near the two which could give them some extra breathing space before their fall. He yelled quickly to Greentail in sharptooth to keep their words secret to their chasers._

" _Jump there! We can try to outrun them after it!" Yarel said as he took his own leap of faith to the small platform-like hill below him. Soon after his jump, he heard Greentail also succeeding in the leap. However, he realized that this brief reprieve lasted no more than a few, agonizingly fleeting moments as another, massive hit from the spiketails struck the duo off-balance. In a second that resembled an eternity, the two young thinclaws dropped to the raging, murderous mass below them._

 _For a moment, Yarel waited for the end, for a spiketail's leg to crush his body under their enormous weight. For the knowledge that all of the lessons his parents had given him were for nothing and that he was the failure who would end the unbreakable lineage of his proud ancestors. However… they never came. Yarel's eyes were open the whole time but the first time he realized what was happening, he could only see two spiketails falling upon him. With a panicked reflex, the boy jumped away from their reach, happy to know that at least luck and fate hadn't abandoned him just yet. But… where was his sister? She was nowhere to be seen and he simply couldn't believe she had been as lucky as he had. As much as the fear burned his thoughts, Yarel knew he couldn't dwell in those fears. The bellowing sounds of the spiketails overwhelmed his ears and he could already see some of them charging towards him._

 _Still, it wasn't easy for a large, slow dinosaur to hit a small thinclaw. Yarel's body was far more subtle and receptive than his tormentors' and his mind registered the situation faster than theirs. However, the mere brute strength of the larger dinosaurs was more than enough to threaten the young male. Yarel jumped and run around the falling feet and swinging tails, one of the latters finally hitting him. The omnivore flew towards one of the walls around him but it was at this moment that he saw something that made it all worth it. He saw a flicker of Greentail's reddish beak among the flurry of spiketails and even in his slightly injured state, he knew he couldn't linger for a second. The thinclaw could feel the dozens of murderous eyes glare into him as he rose up, determined to reunite with his sister once again. With a quick sprint, the young male darted off into the raging herd._

 _His legs hurt and head ached but though pure determination, the young dinosaur manage to find his way though the leaf eaters but it took many agonizingly long minutes for him to even see his sister again. She was trying to reach the opening from the dead end, struggling to find her way through the spiketails to her salvation. Yarel quickly un towards her, trying to join her in her flight. However, it was at this moment when he felt a terrifying pain in his tail, one that caused him to emanate an ear-screeching cry. At the same time, he heard a venomous voice speak to him from his side._

" _You've run your last, killer. Today, you'll join your victims, in the place where you will never hurt anyone ever again!" The spiketail said and started to land his leg on Yarel… until it was the leaf eater's turn to scream. Greentail moved to his side and before he could react, she sliced the surprised spiketail's eye wide open, its contents flowing across his face. In extreme pain, the spiketail released Yarel's tail and bumped against another spiketail, causing the already confused situation escalate into a full-blown chaos. Greentail took her brother's hand and dragged him with her while speaking in a sharp voice._

" _Are you alright, Yarel? That was a nasty hit." Greentail asked as she looked at Yarel's badly injured tail which clearly hindered the male's flight. Yarel panted violently from the close call but he managed to answer somehow._

" _Not… not as bad as it could have been. I guess I'll survive… if the spiketails won't catch us." The boy said, praying that the spiketails wouldn't catch him at this point. To his relief, he could hear that the spiketails had started to fight among themselves, not knowing who had hit who or why. Greentail's smile answered to him what he needed to know: the chaos they had had unknowingly caused had actually saved them. Without the order immediately returning in the herd or their flier's miraculous recovery, there was nothing the spiketails could do to prevent the siblings' flight. Yarel took one final sigh of relief as he turned his gaze back towards the desert before him, knowing that his and his sister had survived this ordeal. The two were safe._

Those memories still chilled Yarel to the bone as he realized how much of his life would never had happened if it weren't for his and his sister's actions on that day. Even if the last months had been an ordeal after ordeal, he wouldn't have traded them away for even a high cost. Even if his mood had often been somewhat downtrodden, in his heart Yarel understood the depth of his luck of being able to remain in this world through all those times.

* * *

The continuing silence was slowly getting on Ruby's nerves. The journey had started in a positive manner but for some reason, things had grown more tense and awkward in the last hours. Greentail looked mostly interested in her surroundings, investigating any landmarks or threats frantically while Yarel was deep in thought, seemingly oblivious to everything that happened around him. He didn't look sad or haunted but there was something that told the fast runner that she should know about what bothered him. In a careful bat happy voice, she turned to look at the thinclaw and opened her mouth.

"What is it, Yarel? You've been very thoughtful for a long time, very thoughtful you have been!" Ruby asked, willing to know if there was something that bothered him at this point. The male seemed to completely snap out of his thoughts, almost taken aback as he answered.

"What?... It… it's alright. I was just thinking." He answered, not knowing if she was interested at all about his and his sister's endeavors. Greentail looked at her companions in slight interest while continuing her observations. Ruby frowned slightly at the answer but presented another question to the thinclaw.

"Thinking about what? There are many things to think about because there are so many things that have happened!" The fast runner said, willing to hear at least some kind of answer from Yarel. He thought for a moment, realizing that all of his memoirs about the faraway days had been caused by his own ponderings about Ruby's past. He could as well use this opportunity to voice his thoughts.

"Well… I was just wondering… It's not often that a lone fast runner happens to search for her family if she knows where they are. I mean… if you know where your family is, why weren't you with them in the first place?" Yarel asked carefully, fully aware that the answer would be likely to be far from happy. Ruby looked at him with sad eyes, knowing this discussion would have to come sooner or later. She knew there were many parts in her past that the two siblings would have a hard time understanding but at least they deserved to know. With a deep sigh and a wavering voice, she answered.

"It is a very long story and I don't want to tell it from the beginning but I was doing a favor to my family. I was looking after our allies' child in a place not far from our home. The boy I was taking care of was called Chomper… until… until other sharpteeth got him." Tears started to fall from Ruby's eyes as the memories of his dear friend flashed in her mind. For the first time, Greentail decided to join the discussion. Had Ruby just claimed he had overseen a sharptooth youngling because of his parents' request? It wasn't unheard of but occasions like those were extremely rare.

"Other sharpteeth? Were you guarding a sharptooth all by yourself? Why in earth would any sharptooth to leave their child to a fast runner's care?" The female thinclaw asked in puzzlement, not finding a good reason for such decision. Ruby looked at with sad eyes and decided to put more light on her situation.

"Because Chomper's parents were trying to take their fight to their old enemy, Red Claw, and they knew that my family could be trusted. I and Chomper went on to live in the Great Valley where we stayed until… it doesn't matter." Ruby knew she had said everything important and she wasn't about to tell what had happened on the day after the celebration of Late Warm Time's Day. Her revelation earned her a respecting silence as the siblings pondered this new information. Neither Red Claw's or the Great Valley's names were unknown in the Mysterious Beyond that the wider picture was slowly starting to form in their minds. Greentail asked the fast runner in clear disbelief.

"The Great Valley? Did you seriously live there? With a sharptooth? And did your friend's parents take down Red Claw?" The first questions were obvious but the last one was another understandable one for the thinclaw. Every large, power-hungry meat eater was a thing to be considered to their kind and each time one of them fell, the power of balance in the nearby lands changed immediately. Greentail hadn't fully understood those issues just yet but she knew they would be vital in the future. Ruby looked at the sky with gloomy eyes as she answered.

"Yes, yes and I don't know. I know it's hard to believe that we could get to the Great Valley but we did! You can only guess how difficult it was to try to prove that we were not a threat and only later I saw that everybody continued to think of us like that even then! It is not a good place for a fast runner, a good place for a fast runner it isn't! As for Red Claw, I haven't heard of him or Chomper's parents in ages." She said in slight bitterness as she cursed in her mind Dasher's decision as she had done so many times in the past week. Yarel looked at Ruby in sympathy as he heard the toll those memories had taken on her. He could see what had happened but he wished to affirm his thoughts.

"So your task failed and now you're returning to your family to tell what has happened?" The male asked carefully, anxious not to upset Ruby further. He could see that the discussion was taking a heavy toll on her as her expression turned ever into a darker one. The fast runner looked at Yarel and nodded slightly.

"That is my plan. But I fear what they'll do once I tell them that the sharpteeth who were our allies will now be our enemies. This was my most important task yet… not to even speak about what happened to my friends!" The fast runner said as she tried to keep her calm. Of course, these thoughts flowed through her mind nearly all the time but talking about it brought the scars and the fear to the surface of her mind. Yarel and Greentail exchanged glances about something after which the sister opened her mouth again.

"I'm sorry, Ruby. But I'm just thinking… Were Chomper's parents by any chance called Dein and Terri?" The female asked carefully, her awkward movements with her hands revealing her nervousness about these things but their reason was a mystery to Ruby as she answered.

"Yes. I never remember that everyone knows them even here. What have you had to do with them?" Ruby asked without clear interest in the issue. To her, the sharptooth duo was nothing but an embodiment of her own guilt, the vengeance that would take her to the Great Beyond once her past would catch up with her. At this point, Ruby didn't really care what the two had to do with the thinclaws but she asked of mere friendliness. Yarel looked somewhat concerned as he answered.

"We don't really know them but we were told that they are a fearsome pair, one of the most deadly forces that we should avoid at all times. They might not be as evil as many other sharpteeth but our cousins, who we met every once in a while, told us that they are extremely strict about their growing territories and they can't stand any competition or anyone who would ever even think of standing against them. They've killed dozens of dinosaurs simply because of fear and shows of dominance, far more than Red Claw or many others. They might be as nice as sharpteeth go if you're on their good side but… once things get bad with them, things get _really_ bad." Yarel sounded extremely worried by his own words as it dawned on him that he and his sister would also be threatened if the sharpteeth ever located them. Greentail's haunted look only reinforced that impression.

"Oh… my parents only told me that their support would help us survive Red Claw and other sharpteeth and that we could trust them. But I should have known that they aren't that nice because they are what they are. But… I hope I never have to meet them again! If what you tell is true, then we won't stand a chance if they find our trail!" She said in a saddened look, knowing that this was another blow on the duo's motivation to follow her but at least they seemed to still be willing to go with her. That was a relief at least.

"Then we have to make sure they never find us. At least it isn't really likely that they'd find us here… is it?" Greentail asked in slight worry. She wasn't exactly anxious to meet the two vengeful sharpteeth on this journey. Ruby sighed and turned to look at her.

"I don't know where they are, as I said. But I don't like to think they're anywhere around here. But that's enough about me… I'd like to know more about you two. Where did you live before… that day? Did you have other siblings?" Ruby tried asked, trying to get the two open up about more than their last disastrous months. Greentail looked at the fast runner in a bit of puzzlement before she answered.

"Well, I don't think it hurts for you to know a bit about us. Our family's kind of wandered around our old land even if we still had a home we always returned to. It was a rather dry land on a plateau between a large desert and lowlands slowly sloping towards the Big Water, almost a cycle of a Night Circle away from here. It wasn't the lush paradise as we've heard the Great Valley to be but we learned to love our home as it was. I and Yarel were the only kids our parents had, a rare thing for our kind, but we liked how things were. Even if it was a rather tough life back then, I'd give anything if we could return there. But we weren't strong enough to stay there without our parents. Maybe we will return there once we're older but I don't really know about it." Greentail's voice was almost dreamy as she told about her old home. Yarel looked at her in compassion and continued from her tale.

"There were many thinclaw families there and many of them were our relatives. We called that place the Lonely Heights as had many thinclaws before us. There were some problems with the other packs but mostly things stayed peaceful. Our home was a cave near the lowlands and overlooking the distant Big Water. I spent many evenings looking at the lands below us and thinking how things would be outside of our home. Still, I think I realized that I had everything I wanted already back then. I don't know why but there was magic in those times we shared with our family. I wonder how the Heights are these days?" Yarel asked to himself as he recited the memories of his lost home. Greentail looked at him in understanding, knowing what he meant. Ruby glazed at Yarel in sympathy, knowing full well what he meant, feeling the same way about his times with Arial, Orchid and Chomper, not even mentioning the rest of her friends. She was about to answer after a long pause until she was interrupted by Greentail who looked around herself in thought.

"Have you noticed that the land is going downhill as we walk? I think we are getting closer to one place that I remember leading to the direction we are going." The female thinclaw said in thought, looking at the gently sloping plains before her. Ruby and Yarel looked at her, willing to hear what she meant. Greentail looked at her companions with a neutral expression as she continued.

"If I remember right, there should be a big river valley going to the east. That should lead us closer to your family, Ruby. I think it isn't too much further away from here. Follow me, we might make it there before the evening!" She said, sprinting right forward. Yarel and Ruby exchanged glances and started to follow their friend to their next destination.

Two more hours passed in a quicker-than usual sprint as the three friends wanted to leave these plains behind them. The night would become extremely cold and unprotected by any vegetation, freezing would be a real threat. Also, they could hide from the predators more effectively if they had some kind of shelter during the night. Even through the quick pace and long march, none of three felt any kind of fatigue. They had a clear destination and each of them had gone through far worse ordeals than this. As a result, the journey went on quickly and the Bright Circle was still over the horizon behind them as the still-green forests started to appear around them. The three omnivores didn't stop until the newly-discovered woods grew too dense for them to run at full speed. Still, they had completed this leg of their journey and before the late evening as well. Ruby panted in deep relief as she broke the silence soon after their first pause since their discussion.

"I… I thought you said there would be a large moving water here but I've tried to look for it and everywhere I've looked, I've seen nothing! Is this the right place?" Ruby asked, still drained from their trip. Still, she was interested in finding the moving water as it would likely lead them to the right direction. However, in this forest, there was a chance of the trio getting lost. Greentail looked at the fast runner with a weary look and answered shortly, every bit as tired as her friend.

"It should be. Can't you see that there are rocks rising around us and the forest is going downhill! I think we will find it soon enough!" After taking another breath, the thinclaw begun to move again albeit in a much slower pace than previously. Ruby followed her quickly, realizing that she was right. The ground was clearly sloping downwards which could only mean one thing which was shortly confirmed by Greentail's call.

"Come here! I think you'll find this a sight worth seeing!" The thinclaw cried near her companions, prompting both Yarel and Ruby to follow her voice. She was standing on a high cliff which commanded a truly majestic sight. Below the cliff opened a large woodland centered around a wide river, its waters bathing in the golden grace of the falling Bright Circle. The canopy of the trees flushed slightly in the cold breeze of the evening wind, whispering their own secrets in the gentle silence. Behind the valley in the far distance opened another open plain but the moving water continued its eternal journey to the lands behind this small refuge of life under the weight of the approaching Cold Time. Ruby sighed in adoration as she looked at the yellow-colored waves of the river, her hopes of reuniting with her family only growing in the face of this beauty.

"Th… thank you, for taking me here you two. Now I know we're on the right way." The fast runner took a deep breath, feeling the cool air refreshing her tasked mind and body. For this night at least, things seemed promising enough. Her family had to be out there somewhere and she would find them safe and sound. This is something she resolved to do. Yarel smiled at the sight and the fact that they had made such great progress on their first day together. He answered softly as he prepared to turn away.

"It's all thanks to Greentail. She was always better in remembering where things are than I am." He said, eager to find a place where they could enter the realm of sleep stories for the night. The female thinclaw looked at her companions in a mixture of happiness and slight worry. She answered in a silent and thoughtful voice.

"This is the nearest place that I can remember to the fast runner home I can remember. I just hope that we will find our way even after we move on tomorrow." Greentail wasn't often unsure about what she was doing but she hated feeling helpless in situations like these. She managed to keep calm but unsavory thoughts flowed in her mind. Ruby frowned as she addressed her friend.

"It's alright. We wouldn't have gotten this far without you and we will find the way forward even if we don't know where we're going!" The fast runner said, taking a slight smile as she relieved the thinclaw. Greentail looked once more to the valley blow her, saddened by her lack of knowledge regarding this place. During her many lessons, this was the easternmost place she had ever remembered. She could remember the place she thought would be Ruby's family's home lied somewhere in there but Greentail didn't have the slightest of ideas where. Still, that was a concern for tomorrow. She jumped away from the ledge and joined her friends.

"I hope you're right, Ruby. We might have a really long day ahead of us so I suggest that we find something to eat and some place to sleep!" The thinclaw said in a tired voice. The night would soon fall and the dark would bring the increased threat of sharpteeth with it. The two other omnivores nodded in agreement and started to follow Greentail deeper into the woods. There certainly was no shortage of food here and even if the green food was getting dryer by the day, none of the three were in a mood to whine about it. They spread out to gather their favorite food in peace as there was still enough light for the three to stay relatively safe of predators if they were careful. Ruby gathered a few large berries from the bushes and some larger and thicker leaves from the lowest branches of the trees. She accompanied them with a handful of grass even if she had always found them tasteless and unable to calm her hunger. She enjoyed her pickings as she walked back to the others who had another surprise waiting for her. Yarel was carrying a large, furry carcass that had already begun disintegrating slowly. Ruby felt a flicker of sympathy towards the creature flow in her mind. It was the same kind as the Skip, the helpful little creature who had helped her to find her family last time. The fast runner just finished her last berry as Yarel called to her.

"Look at what we found! It isn't often that we find this much meat just lying in the ground! Do you want to share, Ruby?" The thinclaw said as he dropped the poor rodent to the ground and looked at Ruby in an asking look. The fast runner looked at her friend awkwardly and pondered at the situation briefly. She hadn't eaten a piece of meat since her trip to the Hanging Rock with Chomper and even if she didn't need to eat meat, the salivation in her mouth and the sudden urges to savagely rip through the carcass told her that her body wanted meat once in a while. Emotionally the rotting corpse nauseated her but the fast runner realized that her mind was set up. Additionally, trying to keep to her own in this issue could offend her two friends.

"Thanks you a lot! I'd certainly use that right now. Shall we cut it to three parts?" Ruby answered with a slightly awkward voice. She could remember how disgusting the fish had tasted last time but to be honest, she had snacked with clams and other small things she could find in the Valley. She had never been this long without the other side of her diet so maybe her urge would overshadow her mental hesitation?

"Sounds good to me. I'll take the head and neck!" Greentail said as she sliced the rodent's head from its shoulders. Ruby gritted her teeth in a mixture of disgust and excitement as the smelly, disintegrating bloody entrails started to flow out from the body.

"And I'll take the middle part! I simply love the taste of it!" Soon after his sister, Yarel sliced the torso's main part from the lower body, leaving Ruby with the legs and hips. The fast runner didn't waste time moving to her prize and despite her conflicted thoughts, she dug into the carcass immediately. All restraint, however, was lost as the bloody remains of the creature touched her lips. It was like another hunger she hadn't realized before manifested itself in her mind. It felt like yearning for something natural even if the fast runner had no doubts she could have kept those urges in check if she had wanted to do so. For now, she devoured the small rodent with deep appreciation. Still, this brief moment was over all too soon as Ruby realized that only a brownish-red spot was left on the ground, all other parts of the creature disappeared into her stomach. She raised her hand in slight disappointment as she heard Yarel speak.

"That was a treat! It's been too long since we last found something like that." The thinclaw said as he took off a piece of meat on his cheek. His voice blazed with content at the situation and the fast runner couldn't really object. She was about to answer but Greentail opened her mouth first.

"Like three days? Trust me, it'll be a miracle if we find these things even half as often!" The sister said as she looked in regret at the remaining blood on the ground. Even if green food was the main source of nutrition for her kind, any chance to get meat was welcomed. Ruby looked at the siblings in slight repulsion, looking at Greentail's yellowish and Yarel's greenish head-feathers being colored in red by their meal and gritted her teeth at their complete disregard to that issue. The fast runner had seen that many times before, of course, but it had been a long time ago with her family. She knew her own face was probably just as messy but that detail seemed to drift into the background in her eyes. Still, she kept her calm and only sighed slightly as she spoke.

"I haven't found any of them since I left the Valley. Still, thanks for sharing it with me. It was really tasty, tasty it was! The fast runner said as she moved closer to the duo. Greentail looked at her friend in a weary look as she answered.

"Of course! If we journey together, we must share anything we find. There's nothing to thank us about." The female thinclaw said as she turned to look at the forest to her left. Yarel realized what she meant by her gesture and continued from her comment.

"I'm drained! I'd say it's time we found a place to sleep." He said, looking at Ruby in an asking expression. The fast runner couldn't object to his proposition as her legs felt fatigued by the long run of the day. She merely nodded to him and the trio entered the dense thicket. Somewhere out there would be the most secure spot from the sharpteeth they could find at this time.

* * *

Only a short while later, Ruby found herself lying on a carpet of soft moss next to a large rock, stretching her limbs in anticipation of the approaching sleep. Her companions were near her, Yarel choosing to sleep in a more uncomfortable but more silent spot between two trees surrounded by bushes and Greentail in a fallen, hollow log not far from the two. The thinclaws seemed to have fallen asleep nearly instantly and the fast runner could also feel the sweet weariness spread to her whole body. This evening was far more pleasant than the last one during which she had shuddered alone in the wind-swept plains. Even if her new friends would never fill the gaping hole of the last weeks, for the first time it wasn't the overwhelming despair and oppressive guilt that accompanied her on today's final conscious moments.

The waving of the branches in the gentle night wind slowly closed Ruby's eyes even as the uncertainty of tomorrow hung in her mind. Would she and her friends find the way further east to the place Stealth had mentioned? Would the good mood inside the group last and could she even hope that no more unfortunate accidents would happen before she could join her parents and siblings? Even in her half-sleeping, relieved mental state she realized that there were still several uncertainties before she could feel truly calm again. Still, those problems would be issues for tomorrow. With a deep sigh, the fast runner was crossing into the maze of happy and worrying sleep stories… until a certain voice awoke her completely from her fledgling slumber. A roar of a sharptooth billowed over the forest like an avalanche, returning the omnivores to the present in an instant. The two thinclaws seemed only startled by the voice itself but it bore a far more haunting overtone to Ruby. Greentail quickly moved to the mouth of her log and asked in a worried voice.

"Did you hear that? Where did it come from?" She asked in a trembling voice, only knowing that the danger wasn't imminent. Yarel looked thoughtful at first until he spoke already in a calmer voice.

"Somewhere far away. We did try to hide our scent when we came here, didn't we? I'm sure he won't find us here." The male spoke thoughtfully, reasoning that any sharptooth would rather chase an easier prey than the three fast omnivores even if it ever found the trio in their hideout. However, Ruby's next words froze the siblings' expressions still and caused cold sweat to form on their chin.

"But they will. They are not just any sharpteeth… they are Chomper's parents, Dein and Terri!" The pink fast runner said in a haunted voice, her words' implications clear to everyone present. If they had as painful history with Ruby as she had said, they'd go to any lengths to find and kill her. And that meant…

"That… that means they have your scent, Ruby! Have they really followed you this far?!" Yarel sputtered in a horrified voice, his eyes still from the new threat. His sister's gaze mirrored his own face until the thinclaws turned to look at Ruby, ready to begin their flight. Ruby spoke to the duo fast before she sprinted past them.

"They are still a long way away from us! Come, we have to get to the river to wash our scent away! It's our only hope!" The thinclaw siblings darted after her without a second thought, knowing that they'd have no chance if the sharpteeth ever reached them. The halfteeth had a few moments of respite, a few moments during which they'd have to cut the vengeful parents' chase. Their very lives depended on their ability to use that little time they had to their best advantage.

* * *

 **The three halfteeth have started their journey together but it isn't long before Ruby's past caught up with her. Can she and her friends repel this new threat or will Dein and Terri receive their revenge? I'm sorry for the increasingly long waits but my studies have taken some time away from writing and, as you may have noticed, my chapters have gotten lengthier lately which obviously also makes the waiting times longer.** **Still, I hope you find this installment worth the wait and see you next time!**

 **The Rhombus: Yep, the herd cannot afford to have any weak links but to his luck, Petrie has been through enough ordeals to have a few surprises ready in case of most surprises. Also, you made really good observations about Pterano's character but we will learn more of his motives in the future. The most important thing for now is his utmost loyalty to his nephew.**

 **I'll have to be more inventive with some terms as it's true that minute doesn't sit here perfectly. As for Pterano's thoughts, I felt that I'd have to give something away of his motives in order to show that he's still mostly the same character as he was before even if he tries to avoid falling to his earlier flaws. I know the way I did it wasn't that good but I felt it was necessary in this situation. Anyway, thank you for your review once again! :)**

 **AllegroGiocoso: I'm extremely happy to see your two reviews after this break! :) Thank you a lot for them!**

 **It's good to hear I handled the Gang's and their parents' reactions to the meeting well! I felt that this is a moment for them to show the trust they have in their children, especially in Topps' case. This was the one moment when Cera genuinely asked him to believe in her and he decided to give up this once. It was quite an achievement for her and I'm also glad you found the conclusion with the fliers satisfactory. I had a hard time trying to show most characters' POW in this chaotic situation but it seems like I did it well enough! As for the end, it's good to hear that it managed to uphold the tension the chapter had built before that point. Thank you about your kind words about this most important of chapters!**

 **As for the next review, it's true that this is extremely painful for Chomper as this wasn't something he would have ever wanted. The whole situation is a terrifying mess and none of the characters can even guess its conclusion. I felt it was a good time to show how absurdly and quickly everything changed from Petrie's perspective as he was the only one to have the privilege of privacy in that intense moment. Even then, his personal perspective doesn't always work as we saw in his fight with Ducky. Bringing up the Bright Circle was a way that would have helped him in his grief but his limited sensitivity cost him much here. Cera's nerves are already stretched to their limits and she isn't going to let the duo take them to a breaking point. Anyway, thank you once again for returning to this story! I really appreciate it! :)**


	17. A Tale from the Beloved Past

**A Tale from the Beloved Past**

The young flier's eyes resonated with bother as he followed Glide's shocked and somewhat resigned composure as she flew towards him. In the hours following the end of the newcomer's challenge, Ortin had tried to come to terms with the surprising outcome. Not only had Petrie, or whatever his name was, defeated Glide in that test but he had also done so in a seemingly injured wing, only magnifying his upset victory. Ortin was deeply impressed by Petrie's showing but he feared it would take a heavy toll on his friend. Glide had always been quite a self-confident flier and this disappointment would surely rattle her. Glide wasn't used to losing and it remained to be seen how she'd handle it.

Even then, Ortin was confident that she'd face this defeat as a lesson, as something that would show her the way to improve her own flying tactics and teach that there were more ways to victory than one. Glide was a clever flyer who wouldn't be beaten by this setback. The young flier was stationed in a small tree overlooking a narrow but deep gorge on its right side as he waited for his oldest friend to land near him. His eyes looked at the sky as Glide's familiar form grew steadily larger and clearer. It wasn't long before the female landed on another branch in a clearly annoyed fashion. Ortin decided to open the conversation in a somewhat cheeky remark, trying to see if Glide was alright after her humiliation. To his slight relief, her voice was only slightly sharp.

"That was a nice trick the outsider did back there. I never saw that coming and clearly you didn't either I'm sorry about that." Ortin smiled slightly, happy to see Glide's expression being confused above all else. Neither of them were strangers to setbacks but hits to their dignity still hurt somewhat as they'd always be remembered for quite some time. Glide took a small sigh before she answered to the boy.

"Hmph! No one ever told us to try any tricks like that but it seems they are just as useful as simply flying! The newcomer is good, I give him that, but that isn't how I would have wanted that race to end. Some idiots won't let me forget that in many seasons!" Glide lamented, her voice tense as she crossed her arms angrily to emphasize her stance. Ortin cocked his head slightly, understanding Glide's point of view as did any of the herd's children. She was quite a respected flier for her age and these kinds of public defeats were never something any flier would want to go through, especially Glide.

"Just forget about them! You did your best back there and many of those morons wouldn't have fared any better. I'm just glad I didn't have to be there… It's too bad it had to be you." The male said, affirming that there was a point in his friend's concerns about the situation. Glide cringed slightly and decided against the banging outrage in her head that there was no reason to dwell in these fears for any longer. After a small pause, she decided to change the subject and leave the unfortunate incident behind her for now. It would return back to haunt her soon enough anyway.

"Well, what have you been doing, Ortin? I haven't seen you anywhere since the challenge ended and that was quite a while ago already." The question wasn't too meaningful in itself as most of the fliers in the herd were often on different tasks and it was likely that Ortin simply didn't have time to follow the ceremony to its end. The boy answered in a neutral voice, clearly indifferent to the question as a whole.

"Nothing special. Dad asked me to find Lightcrest and his mate and to tell them we'll be moving on tomorrow. They weren't easy to find, as you can guess." The young flier smiled a little, the mentioned group of fliers unusually fond of exploring and chasing stories gathered in the lands the herd was passing through. This tendency made them often oblivious to the herd's plans and even if this was often a major problem for everyone, they were allowed to remain as they were strong, noble fliers whose loss would be a blow to the herd's prestige and strength. Glide returned the understanding smile as she answered.

"Then it's a small wonder you're here even now! Does Peak have any other orders he'd like to tell anytime soon?" The girl asked in interest, knowing that Ortin's father was an influential member of the herd and his son often knew things before the others did. He was a cousin to Peak and his most trusted assistant and deputy in the herd. This position was something he had always tried not to use to his advantage and it had often only served to strengthen the trust one of the herd's leaders had in him. Ortin crossed his hands and shook his hand as he answered.

"Nope. We'll start our journey towards Streli's hills tomorrow as we know but right now, we have nothing else to do. But I think you'd want to rest before the long flight? That race looked pretty intense." Ortin asked carefully, knowing that the challenge had largely drained his friend but Glide's answer wasn't what he had expected.

"Not at all. It isn't even evening yet and I'm not going to waste time sleeping too long! If tomorrow will be a long one, there's much better things to do today! Why don't you try to catch me first…" The girl felt her good mood drift away as she was suddenly interrupted. After a brief sigh, Glide turned to look at the source of the familiar voice behind her.

"Here you be, Glide! Petrie… Petrie just wanted to thank for the race you gave me! You did very well!" The boy landed on another branch near the two friends. Glide knew she had absolutely no reason to be angry at the male for beating her but she still wasn't ready to welcome his company. Even if he hadn't humiliated her in front of the herd, he was still a virtual outsider who was most likely dumb enough to understand anything of any worth. It would be a long time before he would be a true part of the herd. Glide turned to Petrie with a sour look and answered to him in a clearly displeased voice.

"Be my guest. It's not like I had any choice in that matter once I was chosen as your opponent." The flier said to Petrie who frowned at this answer. Even if he had a lot of experience of trying to stay away from any embarrassing behavior with his siblings, the notion of actual, concrete reputation in a large group was still an unclear thing for him. The Valley had been a largely herd-segregated place and there wasn't too much reputation to hold inside the families or small group of dinosaurs as opposed to such a large herd as this. Still, Petrie wanted to express his gratitude and maybe, just maybe, earn a friend.

"Petrie guess so but you still fly very well! M… me sorry me didn't have time to say this back then but you would have beaten Petrie if me didn't use me trick." Petrie knew his words were unlikely to completely change Glide's behavior but he wanted to make sure she understood what he thought. Glide looked at the gorge as she spoke, trying to keep her calm in her answer even if the conversation wasn't going as she wished.

"Well, you used it and now everybody thinks I'm a weakling! You did your best Petrie but it wasn't a good thing for me. An outsider like you hasn't probably even learned half of what we have to here and still you managed to do that dive. Congratulations." The last word was spoken extremely coldly as she felt her pride being hurt in a major way. Petrie's command of his movements was something she had never seen from such a young flier and the fact that Petrie had done it without effort rattled Glide greatly. For all she knew, Petrie could as well be the lonely, pampered child he had claimed to be to the four leaders. Petrie looked at her in thoughtful look as he answered.

"Petrie sorry if me cause trouble but neither did me have a choice. If me had lost, me and uncle would have been driven away and things would be even worse than they are now. Me hope you can understand. It was Lenel's choice to put you against me, not Petrie's." The young flier tried to keep his voice down in order not to upset the other flier any further and it looked like a small touch of guilt was forming in the corners of Glide's eyes. However, it was clear that this was a more emotional issue and she still looked saddened by the turn of events. Ortin looked at his friend in sympathy and decided to give her some reprieve of this conversation. He took a more excited expression and spoke to Petrie with some enthusiasm.

"Anyway, that was a great trick you did, Petrie. In fact, it looked like it was a bit too impressive for a novice like yourself. When did you learn something like that?" The other boy asked in a half-interested, half-suspicious voice from Petrie who cringed at the question. Even if Glide's friend sounded friendlier and less bitter than the girl, his question hit right at the nerve of Petrie's claimed past. He couldn't tell of all the times he had helped his friends against sharpteeth, all his hard work to keep them safe from dangers or about his endless struggle to win the approval of his family. Petrie thought frantically for a moment before he came up with a way to answer believably enough.

"That was the first time Petrie ever did something like that but momma always told us to try to do things differently than sharpteeth think. What Petrie did was very dangerous but momma told me to always try to make our use of the different winds in surprising ways." The flier said, hoping for the other male to catch his bait. However, it turned out be a false hope as Ortin frowned slightly and answered with another question.

"That is what we do often try to do too but none of us can do such a fall without hitting the ground or losing control of ourselves! There must be more to it than small-scale training or luck!" Ortin didn't sound too worried about Petrie's ability to answer but he sounded a bit puzzled by the newcomer's claims. Petrie knew he had to make a believable lie here but it was easier said than done.

"O… our home was in the middle of the desert, as me said, and there were often flying sharpteeth around there which we had to escape from. Petrie met them only three times but we had to use everything me knew to escape them. Me had no time to think what me did… Petrie only do it like me did today. It wasn't a trick as me did it only to survive. Petrie didn't think about what me do, Petrie just… do it." The flier managed to force his voice to stay in a somewhat natural range but Ortin still didn't seem completely satisfied. Glide, however, spoke before the conversation could continue.

"In any case, you're now part of us so I guess we'll have to learn to live with that fact. Just do as well as you did against me and you might just survive even if you're just an outsider still. That's more than I'd say from most fliers here but don't think we'll do any further favors for you anymore. Good luck here but don't think too much of yourself. Let's go, Ortin." The girl said and turned to look at Ortin who looked at her in slight worry. He wasn't too excited by Petrie's presence either but he thought Glide was acting rather brashly in the face of her defeat. It was clear it'd take more than just a talk for Glide to see herself as the same flyer who woke up in the morning. Ortin cleared his throat before answering.

"Well… try to survive, Petrie. Try to avoid the likes of Hoist in the future as they can really make your life a pain if you're not careful. I guess we'll see again soon enough." The bluish flier said and tried to form something between a smile and a nod. Petrie was rather disappointed by this turn of events but he knew he couldn't push the issue further. After a moment, he bid his own farewells at the duo.

"That bully won't surprise Petrie again! Me hope you're right… who were you again?" Petrie remembered he hadn't heard the other boy's name yet. Ortin looked at him in surprise as he didn't remember he hadn't told Petrie his name. He answered briefly before he and Glide took off.

"My name's Ortin. Take care!" Petrie looked at the two friends' departure in disappointment and completely overtaken by the sense of utter loneliness. He had managed to approach the two but Glide seemed clearly disapproving of him now and Ortin had seemed mostly cordial because of manners. The young flier's efforts to earn new friends had stalled for now and he was left alone to stand on a branch with no company and only the utter feeling of emptiness. He might have saved himself from becoming an outcast but being a member of the herd was little better if the best relationships he could forge were lukewarm and the worst ones horrific torture.

Still, those were issues for tomorrow. Despite his fears, this was still his evening of triumph and he wouldn't completely squander it with his dark thoughts. With a worried sigh, he took off to see his uncle before he'd draw any unwanted attention.

* * *

Two eyes scoured the slowly darkening woodland below as Pterano waited for his nephew's return in slight worry. He had warned Petrie against wandering around on his own just yet but the younger flier had insisted on meeting his competitor again. Pterano wasn't afraid of Glide but he was fully aware of them implications Petrie's victory meant for her. Also, even if he had seen that scene only briefly, the brownish adult had seen that not everything was well when he had found Petrie talking to Glide. His nephew had looked extremely rattled and still fearful, implicating there had been an unsavory encounter he didn't know of.

Deep worry could be read from the flier's eyes as he thought about the coming day. He hadn't had the time to tell about it just yet but every older member of the herd knew about the coming migration to Streli's Hills, a large mountain range far to the west which would serve as the fliers' home for the duration of the Cold Time. The Hills were a harsh, cold place which wouldn't normally draw a lot of dinosaurs trying to escape the chill. However, it was a traditional land of the fliers and thus they would return there to spend the season and to wait for its passing.

However, the real thing that gleamed in Pterano's mind was the planned journey in the next spring. There had been talk among the herd's leaders to embark on a migration to a fabled land far, far away. It was the legendary location of the last, untouched refuge of the fliers before the landwalkers moved in there too. it was an important place that most flier herds visited once in few decades to pay their respects to the ancient, grand flier society of legend. That occasion would be accompanied by two days of wishing for the return of those days, remembering the fliers of old as well as strengthening the fliers' internal unity. Pterano had never been there himself but he had heard it was one of the most sacred flier sanctuaries anywhere in the world. The brownish flier had dreamt of visiting it for a long time and in a month, that dream would finally be a reality. He was even more overjoyed to be able to share this most precious of journeys with his nephew.

Even if Petrie wouldn't agree with everything about the fliers' wish to return to that fabled era, Pterano had no doubts about his nephew's wish to accompany him on this journey. Pterano's eyes were slowly starting to feel heavy when he finally saw his nephew flying towards him from the lower slopes of the mountain plateau. The evening was bringing a chilly wind with it, a clear sign of the coming Cold Time, but it wasn't enough to hinder any healthy flier's flight just yet. However, as the younger dinosaur drew closer to his uncle, Pterano could see Petrie's expression becoming darker than he would have wanted. He waited for Petrie to land near him until he asked the obvious question.

"Petrie, did something go wrong? Did you run into trouble with her?" The older flier asked in clear worry, knowing that Glide was unlikely to completely approve of the defeat Petrie had caused her. However, this time Petrie wasn't as downtrodden as before even if a certain flicker of melancholy could be read from the corner of his eye.

"Not really… but Glide only see me as opponent and not friend. And Ortin didn't seem like he care about me presence at all." The boy said and raised his gaze to meet that of his uncle's. Pterano knew this had been the most probable course of action all along. He knew about Glide's friend and even if Pterano had a rather good opinion of the two, they were as proud fliers as any. He knew his nephew was in a serious disadvantage due to his recent joining to the herd but it couldn't be helped. He could only try to encourage his nephew at this point and hope that his terrible misfortunes would come to an end soon enough.

"It's alright, nephew. Glide's disappointment will wear off at some point and Ortin will often follow her in these kinds of decisions. They are good kids and they should be easier to approach later on. Also, there are many other fliers your age here. I'm sure you'll blend in before you know it. You already made a good impression on all of us: the rest will be easy." Pterano smiled to the younger flier, trying to calm Petrie down before he would begin to blame himself any further. Petrie sighed in disappointment and answered to his uncle in a more silent voice than usual.

"But they never see Petrie as one of them. Me might win the challenge but me still outsider. Me could see it with the two." The young boy said, looking in worry at the dancing streams which dotted the lush mountain plateau. His uncle frowned at this comment but answered quickly, trying to make his point of view clear to the younger flier.

"Well… you're right about that but only for a short while. If you do your part well and show that you are as good as the others are in the coming days, getting closer to them will be easy. Glide and Ortin didn't chase you away, did they? Trust me Petrie, things will end up as good as they can at this point." the older flier had laid his hand on Petrie's shoulder as a show of support to the distressed child. He added soon after in a silent voice.

"You'll continue to make me and our family proud, Petrie. In many more ways than I ever can." Petrie raised his head in affection, clearly moved by Pterano's kind words to him. This was the most vocal show of support he had received in ages and his uncle's honest eyes seemed to breath new hope into Petrie's eyes. He could only stutter in a loss of words as the warmth slowly spread into his limbs at this display.

"Th… thank you, uncle Pterano. Me hope you're right." The young flier's mouth turned into something that resembled a smile when his uncle slowly drew his hand from his shoulder. He spoke in a normal voice as he had risen back to his full height.

"But for this day at least, try to calm down. You've been through so much and we have a long flight tomorrow. We must be ready by the rising of the Bright Circle." The older flier left his statement somewhat vague, prompting a wondering look from Petrie. His uncle had implied the herd would fly far and wide but were they already going to depart the very next day? He had proved he could fly with his wing and it could well be in a good condition by tomorrow… but why had his uncle stayed silent for so long?

"Ready for what? Where we going, uncle?" The young flier's eyes widened in anticipation, eager to know about their destination. Pterano cringed slightly, not sure if this was the right time to tell Petrie about all the traditional migrations of the greatest flier herds as it would be close to impossible to tell about the Hills without going into those details. He thought for a moment until he answered in an unsure way.

"Well… let's just stay that is it a place where we're going to spend the Cold Time. You'll hear more about it later on." Pterano said, trying to make Petrie content with the situation. The younger dinosaur looked somewhat disappointed but there was another thing that had troubled his mind: the clear disagreements and distrust between the herd's leaders. They seemed to be working merely for themselves and any cooperation seemed only official. With a careful voice, Petrie changed the subject.

"Alright, Petrie will ask about that later. B… but, me like to know… The fliers who allowed me into the herd were quite silent and they hardly speak with each other. What is wrong with them?" The young flier was extremely puzzled by this as it was far from the type of leadership he was accustomed to. Pterano understood what his nephew meant but the answer wouldn't be simple. _Well, I always knew he'd have to know sooner or later._

"Petrie… they are nothing like the adults in the Valley. They don't share their thoughts because they don't trust each other. They can work together but they know that each and every one of the four is just as vain and proud as the next one. They don't want to work as a team but the flyer traditions force them to look over the boundaries of their lineages. You see, as I told you earlier, these four wise fliers are the heads of four of the legendary lineages of the past." Pterano said, not knowing whether Petrie had paid any attention to his words before the test. The younger flier seemed thoughtful at those words. He remembered his uncle's words but he had given any thought to what those "lineages" were in the first place. With an embarrassed voice, he asked the older flier.

"M… me remember but Petrie never understood. Uhh… what is a "lineage"?" The boy's words were rather sheepish and Pterano realized immediately that this was a word Petrie wouldn't have heard earlier. With a slight sigh, he answered.

"It is like a family, Petrie, but it is more than just the family you see. Most fliers are extremely interested about who was their mom and dad's parents and who was theirs. The greatest families say they know about their families' deeds before even your mother's grandparent's grandparent and so on was even born. It is they who made it possible our birth in the first place and the more traditional herds, like this one, believe the things that enabled our grandparents' greatness passes down to their children. At least the respect they earned so long ago will never wear off. Our leaders' families did great things in the ancient times and that is why they are allowed to lead us." The brownish flier knew this was a lot for Petrie's mind to register at this time and he simply hoped Petrie wouldn't find this idea disgusting. After all, this was one of the very basics of the herd's hierarchy. The younger flier looked at his uncle in astonishment, deeply surprised by his words.

"B… but that isn't right! Did the four fliers do nothing before they could lead the others? Why?" In the younger flier's eyes, counting a dead flier's deeds as another one's credit didn't seem natural or acceptable at all. Petrie hardly knew about his own grandparents and everything beyond them was a mystery. Trying to live off with their efforts seemed extremely hard to understand for Petrie. His uncle seemed somewhat disappointed by his answer and he moved on to lean on a cliff's wall as he continued to explain.

"I know your mother hasn't told you much about our family's history and that's because we simply don't have any great stories going on in our family. All of these are of course tales but the stories passing down in most of the flier families support some other lineages' tales and their right to rule. I don't know whether I believe them but most others do. And the four have led well so I don't think this is wrong, at least not overly so." The older flier had never given up much thought on four leaders' right to rule the herd as he, unlike Petrie, had been introduced to these traditions at a young age. However, it didn't give too much place for mistakes on those who were lucky enough to born to their families. They had a reputation to uphold and if they in any way violated their position, they'd be immediately expelled from the herd and their families. Life had given some fliers a great gift at birth but with that gift came even greater responsibility. The younger flier was still upset by his uncle's words but he knew there was no point in trying to argue about it. With a curious gaze, he asked his uncle shortly.

"Petrie don't understand but me want to know what have the leaders' grandparents' parents done so good we still have to follow those fliers? Is there some great stories Petrie should know?" The young flier was a curious boy and despite his scorning of the fliers' leadership, he was always eager to learn something new about the past. Even if his earlier adoration of Pterano's "wisdom" had vanished, he still had learned to appreciate all the knowledge of the fliers his uncle still held. He had no doubts that the older dinosaur knew more than he had let out thus far. Pterano, on the other hand, realized he wasn't about to get away from this situation without telling at least about one leader's lineage to his eager nephew. After a moment of thinking, the brownish flier decided to stick with one of the leaders whose ancestor's tale wouldn't upset the younger flier too much further.

"There are numerous tales that are all worth learning at some point, Petrie. However, most of them are rather grim and hold a lot of things I wouldn't want to tell you about right now. This night, I'll tell you about Nira's family's distant past and how her ancestor managed to lead his herd through a time of long and painful dry time, one that we no longer have to luckily go through anymore. It happens a lot later than many other lineage's but the courage and determination this flyer showed passed down for generations, rising to the same place in our memories as the others. Anyway, the herd was suffering due to the weakness caused by the heat and lack of food and some of them were already beginning to drop down from the sky, never rising to it again. Most were ready to give up but Nira's distant grandfather, called Nourin, wouldn't let his herd die down because of the Bright Circle's newfound malice." Petrie listened with great interest, deep in thought about this tale. Littlefoot's grandfather's stories came to his mind as he listened to his uncle but it was clear that this tale held a more concrete, clearer meaning to it. Pterano recited the tale as if it had really happened, not as some kind of a funny lesson like the ones Petrie had listened to in the Great Valley. It was clear that this was a tale believed by many. His uncle continued momentarily after his short pause.

"But no matter what he did, the other, newer kinds had eaten empty the few surviving forests that had once fed the fliers and no matter what Nourin seemed to do, only tragedy after tragedy followed in his wake. The lack of food took its toll on many and the heat did little to help them. Once in a while, they would find some food but every time the fliers were denied it because of selfish longnecks and spiketails. Many fliers fell during those fights for nothing." The older flier grimaced in slight sadness as he saw his nephew's face fall at this point. During his early childhood, Pterano had only told him about the flyers' great deeds but he hadn't told him about the problems his kind had had with Spike and Littlefoot's kinds. With a disapproving wave of his head and in an annoyed expression, he answered.

"That no how it go! Longnecks would never hurt fliers because of food! Littlefoot and his family not like that!" The young flier tried to tell himself that what his uncle told was wrong but to his surprise, the older dinosaur's expression changed little. Instead, they took on a faraway gaze as he explained his point.

"Maybe not them but things like these are far from uncommon, nephew. In fact, it also happened to me once when I was young. I can tell about it sometime but let's just say that I'm glad I made it out alive. In any case, Nourin had lost most of his followers during those dark days. The tale says he did many mistakes that caused the others dearly even if he always tried to do what he thought was right. But the thing that kept the others following him was that whenever there was danger, he was always the first to face it and always the last one to eat the little food they found. He never raised himself even to the same level as his followers. Nourin wasn't a wise leader but he knew what true companionship and trust was all about. But that isn't why he is remembered even today.

The final part of this story is the reason why he and his children were added to the legends of the fliers, long after we thought the time for such deeds had passed. After many passings of the Night Circle, Nourin and his followers found something that changed everything. It was a high, small peak standing in the middle of a flat wasteland. Such hills are rare in themselves but this particular one seemed to call him with some mysterious force. Weakened by weeks of wandering with little to drink or eat, he flew to the top of the hill with great effort and that is when it happened. It seemed like the Bright Circle or its rays spoke to him even if the words themselves are lost to time." The older flier took a brief pause and his words left Petrie completely dumbstruck. The Bright Circle, talking to someone? The boy had often spoken to it himself but not once had he received an answer. Petrie knew many fliers respected the Bright Circle as he did but this kind of knowledge about it was new to him. Petrie looked at his uncle in anticipation and sat down to a small rock. Pterano's gaze turned to look at a small shooting star lighting the sky in the distant horizon before he continued.

"Nourin's herd looked at him trying to calm the Bright Circle's wrath but no matter what he did, it would never ease its endless scarring of the already-dry land. Nourin was desperate, knowing he and his herd, his family and friends as well as those who trusted and relied on him, wouldn't last for another week. With a heavy heart, he offered the only thing he had left at that point." The older flier's eyes took a sad look to them as he thought about his next words. He could see that Petrie kept on a hope for happy ending and in a way, he would have it. Very few of the legendary fliers found happiness in their own lives but their gifts to the others were invaluable. Petrie asked in a trembling voice, breaking the silence from his part.

"D… do you mean…? Why would the Bright Circle ask something like that!? It make no sense!" Petrie tried in an almost pleading voice but his uncle only shook his heads in an unknowing way.

"Nobody knows, Petrie. There are many mysteries in these tales but they are something we have to live with, my nephew. Not everything has a clear or easy answer such as the question why the Bright Circle would ever demand such things from us. Some have blamed Nourin's family's untraditional choices, some have blamed the fliers of becoming too soft. In any case, this flier of legend agreed to the Bright Circle's request and immediately the sky started to grow darker to the endless joy of everyone present. Nourin turned one last time to address those to whom he had caused so much pain while still sacrificing his all to defend them.

"His last words have been passed on to this day but I cannot remember them right now, Petrie. In any case, from the last clear, uncovered spot of the sky appeared a ray of the Bright Circle, far more powerful than any anyone had ever seen before or since that monumental day. Nourin turned to ash before his herd but as an exchange for his life, sky water started to pour from the sky, saving those fliers strong or lucky enough to have lived this long. That day marked the beginning of a full year of bountiful green food and safety, a time known as the Time of Blessed Happiness, made possible by the noble deed of one flier." Pterano concluded, looking at his nephew in interest. It was clear that the younger dinosaur wasn't completely convinced but even then, this tale had seemed to awake deep curiosity within him. There were so many questions Petrie wanted to ask that he didn't know where to begin.

"That be a great story, uncle Pterano! But… Petrie wonder… Where did this happen? How Nourin could talk to the Bright Circle? Do you believe that this story really happened? And… and when did this happen? There so much Petrie not understand!" The younger flier looked at his uncle in interest and Pterano answered in a thoughtful look at first. He looked at one withering flower beside him as he tried to find the right words to say. After a moment, he returned his eyes to Petrie whose curious look had only deepened during the wait.

"Well, as I said, not all has to be clear about these legends. There's much more even to this one than I know but as far as I've heard, nobody knows where the place of Nourin's sacrifice happened. It is said his herd came far from the south, from a great forest of formerly almost never-ending rain and wondrous amount of life which was slowly dying due to the draught but the place of this sacrifice isn't known. As for when this happened… as I said, it was a lot later than the other tales and actually, one of the oldest members of one other herd I met on my travels as a young flier said he had met one of the members of Nourin's herd. I don't know if it is true but that would mean it couldn't happen more than hundred Cold Times ago, at most." Those words stunned Petrie greatly. One hundred Cold Times? That was far more than he could think of at such a young age but on the other hand, he had expected these things to happen in times no one could remember. One hundred Cold Times… in the end, that was only ten times his own age!

"That not so long ago… It be kind of funny… But what about me other questions?" Petrie stuttered, willing to satisfy his curiosity as much as he simply could at this point. This time his uncle answered without any mentionable pause.

"Nobody knows how he could talk to the Bright Circle or how could it demand anything from Nourin in the first place. It is another mystery like the Stone of Cold Fire was back when we last met. I still like to think there is such a miraculous stone somewhere out there, ready to realize our deepest dreams. I no longer wish to search for them as there's too large a risk I'd use it for evil again. But it is a story, like that of Nourin's sacrifice, that I'd like to believe. They give us hope and trust in dark times and give us new dreams to dream. That's all I have to know about these stories today." The older flier smiled as he thought about his earlier foolishness in trying to control the Stone of Cold Fire and everything he had given away to get to that point. Luckily those days were over.

Petrie, on the other hand, turned his eyes away from his uncle to think about what he said. The light of the stars and the cold breeze of the fall made something gleam in Petrie's eyes as he thought about the story. The fact that he had been born into such beauty was a miracle in itself but it was also easy for him to hate it at the same time. It had given him everything but it had also robbed him of his friends and everything he had known before. In a way, he could relate to Nourin's deed as he would have also been ready to give up on his life to save his friends. The world, like the legend, was a flawed miracle that gave endless blessings but it didn't hesitate to take them away either. Something in Petrie's mind told him to trust in his uncle's words, no how unlikely they seemed in the first place. The young flier had long wanted to believe in things he couldn't see: he might as well follow that road to the end.

"Petrie guess you right, uncle. Me and me friends have seen many things that we never thought would happen but… Petrie guess anything can happen. But me still don't think Nira should rule the herd because of what Nourin did. It doesn't seem right." The young flier said. Even after this tale, it was hard for to accept that anyone can take credit for what others have done. The older dinosaur looked at his nephew and smiled briefly before he sat down and answered.

"Don't think about it, Petrie. This is how things have always been done and as I said, I've grown to trust them. But that's enough for today: I think we both need a good night's sleep at this point." Pterano said as he begun to move deeper to the groove in the hill, waiting to see how his nephew would react to his proposition. It was clear that there was still so much Petrie would have wanted to know but his fatigue was also beginning to catch up to him. The boy's body started to yawn against his will and the drowsiness was indeed beginning to set upon him. With a suddenly sleepy voice, he answered to his uncle.

"Alright, uncle. But Petrie want to know more about those stories some other time! There be so much for me to learn!" The young flier said as he followed his uncle. Pterano turned to his nephew and answered in a kind voice.

"I'll tell them at some point, Petrie. But now it is our time to rest." The brownish flyer said to Petrie who set on a grassy spot under a small cliff sticking out from the above hill. Petrie's mind raced in the desperate search for his friends, his meeting with uncle as well as the story he had just heard. Some thoughts tortured him while others brought shivers of excitement upon his body. However, all of those conflicting feelings were quickly overwhelmed by the absolute fatigue and it wasn't long before the flyer drifted into unconsciousness.

* * *

The first rays of the newborn day were casting their grace to the plateau, causing its still-green fields to bask in its cooling but still warming light. The first of the fliers were slowly opening their eyes, knowing it was time to begin their final preparations for their journey. The early morning was starting like any other, though, with the members of the herd waking up one by one and looking for their final meals before the inevitable departure. However, none of them knew that something had happened during the night, something that would bear grave consequences for them all.

One of those who were still completely oblivious to the aging morning was Petrie who seemingly could have slept the whole day. His sleep, however, was completely and immediately stopped by a loud, piercing screech from the lower sloped of the hills. His eyes snapped open immediately, shocked by the sudden and sharp voice. Petrie rose to a sitting position immediately, looking at his uncle who had already been awake for quite some time. The older flier's eyes were alerted and fearful as he answered.

"What was that, uncle? What has happened?" The boy asked carefully, not having the slightest of ideas of what was going on. With a silent but serious voice, Pterano answered.

"That was the alarm call, Petrie. It called us to hear what has happened. Quickly, follow me!"

* * *

Shocked gasps and terrified panting were Ortin's companions as he followed the scene around him. Only a short while ago, he had been sleeping without the least of worries like in every other morning in the past. However, after he opened his eyes, a sight greeted his eyes that he would never forget, no matter how he wished so. His father lied beside him but his throat had been sliced open, the ground covered in dried blood and the older flier's body was cooling at a rapid rate. Ortin had blinked a few times, his mind not being able to register what had happened at first. However, as the last vestiges of sleep disappeared, he realized the situation's full implications. The following scream was one that would haunt everyone who heard it for a long time.

"Make way for Peak and the others! He demands to see what has happened to his cousin!"

And now, the young flier stood in shock, looking as countless fliers run and flew back and forth, spreading the news about this shocking development. He couldn't think clearly, everyone around him seemed like images drifting by as he stood still, the flyer not being able to process what was happening. Here he was standing, looking at the fuss of the other fliers going to see his murdered father who would never again rise from the ground, comfort him or teach or play with him… The ground beneath Ortin's drooping head started to turn wet as the tears finally begun to flow to the ground. They were still far and between as the emotional blockade of his mind still held its final stance against the realization that slowly flooded into Ortin's mind.

"Call everyone here, now! We have to find the one who did this to my cousin and punish him justly! This… this is a crime against our whole family and our herd." The young flier looked with increasingly tear-filled eyes as Peak bowed down to his fallen kin and deputy as he slowly and practically without conscious thinking turned around and finally let his emotional wave flash through him. His life was irrevocably altered as he had been robbed from a loved one by someone in this herd. It was many, long moments before until someone finally notified the boy's inner turmoil and he gasped noticeably as he felt a familiar and gentle hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Ortin. I'm here." The voice was feminine but it held the powerful hue of creak and old age. The young flier didn't flinch in the least at this display as he put away the comforting hand. He choked on his tears as he tried desperately to form something intelligible to say to his grandmother.

"Why…? Why would anyone do this? Dad was… he was always nice to everyone… why, grandma?" Ortin wanted to collapse at the ground and he still hadn't gathered enough strength to face the other flier. The elderly dinosaur took a long pause, her own words broken by the situation as well. Even if her daughter, Ortin's mother, had gone to her untimely rest in a fight with a competing herd, she had grown to love her child's mate as her own son. Now, all that she had left was her brave but young grandson whose life had just taken a far darker turn than anyone should experience at his age. Still, the old flier tried to fight her own emotions to make this as easy to Ortin as she simply could.

"He was, Ortin. He would have deserved to live for many, many Cold Times but things don't always go like that. His death was ordered by someone, that is for certain." The old flier said glumly, her voice burdened by the implications of her own words. Finally, Ortin turned to look at the older flier, his eyes rose-red by his tears. He then asked in a sharp, disbelieving voice as his mind raced on overdrive. Surely his grandmother didn't mean…?

"Wh… what do you mean? There's no one here who could do such a thing! There simply isn't!" The young flier cried, his mind denying the possibility of there being someone with such murderous intent among his lifelong companions. To even think about it brought great disbelief to his mind as he turned to look at the flyers who were slowly filling the sky after the gathering call. His ponderings were interrupted by a melancholy voice of her grandmother which chilled the younger flyer to the heart.

"I have no idea who would have wanted this but believe me, Ortin, not everyone you see wish to live in peace. But they will never get away with this. One of the fliers in this herd killed your father and we will find out who." The older flier's voice finally took a more vengeful character as she, too, looked at the mass of fliers who were landing at the same spot where Petrie's test had begun the previous day. This was the only time when she had raised her voice and its effect was clear: she would spare no quarter in finding the culprit.

Suddenly the air felt extremely cold around Ortin. Not only was he almost alone but he would likely be in the mercy of the killer if he ever decided to continue his attacks. At this moment, he couldn't trust anyone other but his grandmother and Glide as suddenly Ortin saw only potential threats around him. Even if the culprit was found today, his father and his feeling of safety and happiness wouldn't return. The boy's fear-filled thoughts were interrupted by one last whisper from his grandmother.

"Let's go. We have to be there to support Peak and to make sure we do what we can. The meeting will begin soon." The elderly flier's voice returned to the earlier melancholic one as she spread her wings in preparation for takeoff. Ortin's eyes turned to her slowly as he replicated her preparations. The loss and betrayal in Ortin's eyes was evident to everyone observing but buried beneath these emotions was something more: something that resembled the yearn for retribution and justice. Ortin knew the one who did this wouldn't live to see the evening: this he and his remaining family would make sure of.

* * *

 **With Ortin's father's tragic passing, the entire situation in Petrie's new herd has become considerably more dangerous. Will the culprit be caught and how will Peak and the other leaders react to this outrage? At this point, I'd like to ask if taking turns between the main plots is a good pattern or should I begin mixing Ruby and Petrie's stories in the same chapters? In any case, I'm happy to see so much feedback lately! Thank you very much for all your reviews and see you all next time! :)**

 **VonBoy: Thank you for giving this a read and for your kind words. :) It's true that much of this story is a bit dark but I hope I've justified that kind of approach. As for Chomper's parents, yeah, it's quite unfortunate that things went to this but Dein and Terri aren't going to let the loss of their only child go unpunished. They are a deadly pair as the thinclaws said in their story so Ruby has a truly deadly threat on her heels.**

 **The Rhombus: Indeed, Chomper would be overwhelmed by guilt and despair if he saw the latest developments. However, he's gone and Ruby has to try to shake off one of the last things that still remind her to the life she led only a few weeks ago. As for your remark about Dein and Terri's area, I'm sorry if I messed up with the implications. The river valley isn't their territory and the sharpteeth have followed the fast runner all the way to this point. They already know the truth. In any case, thanks for the review! :)**

 **AllegroGiocoso: I'm truly glad you enjoyed that tragic chapter! All members of the Gang can feel the weight of this situation, perhaps none more than Petrie because of his charge to safeguard his friends' safety. As for the storm, it's good to hear it was effectively executed. I felt that such a terrifying and chaotic moment would be hard to handle for the characters and thus enable the Gang's downfall. All seven of them did their very best to save the day but in this horrific situation, it just wasn't enough. Ruby and Petrie were extremely lucky to have made it out but, from this day on, they have quite a burden on their shoulders.**

 **Nimbus01: Thank you very much for your great and detailed review! The flashback was one part on which I spent a lot of time trying to find a way to do it in a satisfactory way and it seems I did at least most of it right. The flyer was a character I added relatively late in order to give another toxic layer to Yarel and Greentail's ordeal and show why they don't easily trust outsiders. I often strive to keep all sides' motives understandable as often as I just can in order to keep the situation as emotionally conflicting as I can. In the end, even the flyer wanted nothing more but an easy meal but his dishonesty and duplicitous dealings caught up to him very fast. I'm truly happy you enjoyed the flashback as it gave me quite a bit of problems! :)**

 **Your observation about Pterano's motive of not returning Petrie to the Valley is a good one. Pterano could see from Petrie's reaction that the situation in the Valley was likely to be a chaotic one and that Petrie wasn't willing to return there. However, even if the older flier would like to tell himself otherwise, his own ambitions do overlap with his sense of responsibility. Anyway, he will play a large role in the future chapters. Also, thank you for your words about the flying test. It was rather funny to write!**


	18. The Hunt in the Nightly Valley

**The Hunt in The Nightly Valley**

The sound of powerful steps rang through the darkened forest as two massive sharptooth ran through it in unwavering, deadly determination. The slightly larger one of the duo, Dein, could see the river opening far below him and his mate as the two prepared to finish their long and mentally-wrenching journey. The male had been a mental wreck himself since that terrible day but his mate had been in an even worse condition. Dein still shuddered at the mere thought of the day about week ago, a day that had hit the duo like nothing before. At first, Terri had spent many hours just crying on her son's side, a situation which would never leave any parent's mind. Dein fought against the most terrifying image of his life from reentering his memory as it was still too much for him to handle.

However, dwelling in that most dreadful of moments would help none even if Dein had apologized to his son many times since finding what remained of him. Despite his odd habits and inconceivable friendship with the pitiful leaf eaters, he had still been their son and both of the sharpteeth would have given up their lives for him without a second thought. However, neither of them could do even that to protect their beloved child. Chomper had been killed, not because of hunger, but by some other, sick motive. However, all of that mattered nothing to the sharpteeth at this point. In the end, there was only one dinosaur who was responsible for Chomper's departure to the Great Beyond well before his time.

The male's eyes turned red with rage as the sight of the fast runner family entered his mind's eye. The day when he and his mate had left Chomper with the cowardly, treacherous omnivores would be the day both of the sharpteeth would curse for the rest of their lives more than anything else. Detras and Pearl had done their all to convince the other family to leave Chomper with them until the duo would have dealt with Red Claw. Dein had told his mate letting Chomper go to the Great Valley was a blunder in the first place but his fleeting moment of weakness had made him accept this outrageous plan. One way or another, Chomper had paid for his parents' mistake but Ruby and his family wouldn't get away with their mortal failure. This he had promised to his mate long ago. Dein's eyes were focused on the approaching cliffs overlooking the river when he heard Terri speak to him.

"As we expected, those bastards are trying to get to the river! We can't let that happen!" The female said, her voice dry with the overwhelming emotions swirling in her mind. Dein looked at his mate in sympathy but his voice was highly calculating as he answered.

"They won't. They may be quick but we'll make sure they won't leave this valley alive. I don't know who Ruby's companions are but they'll share her fate." The sharptooth practically spit out the fast runner's name and his whole composure radiated nothing but murderous intent. Terri turned to look at him and answered to the other sharptooth in deep betterment, her claws hungering for the blood of those who had caused her all this sorrow and regret during the past weeks.

"We can't be too careful, Dein. Those cursed half teeth can be very hard to catch if we just rush there headlong. We can't afford any mistakes or we'll give them an opening from which to escape." She left her comment extremely vague, strongly implicating to Dein she had a plan she was thinking about. The male looked at his mate with an urgent but interested look, knowing Terri would leave no stone unturned before Ruby followed their son to the Great Beyond.

"What is it that you are planning to do? I truly hope it's a good plan." Dein turned his head back to the nightly forest around them, knowing it would be just a few minutes before he and Terri would reach their prey. The fast runner's scent was growing stronger by the second and soon, they could give what little reprieve they could to their fallen child. Dein listened in deep interest as Terri voiced her thoughts.

"There's only one way to cut their escape. This is what we should do…"

* * *

The fast runner's heart felt like it was going to explode as it beat desperately in her chest. Ruby looked at the river which was still a good distance away but her and her companions' desperate rush was closing the distance at a rapid pace. The sky was covered with clouds, covering the nightly woods into complete darkness. Even the omnivores' eyes struggled to see the ground but there was no time to waste. Either they'd wash away their scent and escape or they'd perish in this place, as a payback for the most terrifying mistake in Ruby's life.

The same thoughts run over and over in Ruby's mind as she pondered feverishly her situation. How had Chomper's parents found their way to this distant place and had they found Chomper or what remained of him? Would they try to slaughter Yarel and Greentail alongside with her? No matter how much she wanted to know those answers, she knew the escape was far more important at this point. The night was eerily silent and, to her immense worry, she couldn't hear anything except her and the siblings' steps. It was as if the sharpteeth had suddenly disappeared or staying still but the fast runner knew they were out there, waiting for their moment to attack the unsuspecting friends.

Yarel's thoughts mirrored highly those of his friend's but his mind wandered further to the tales he had heard about that fearsome pair of predators. For countless Cold Times, the stories of their brutality had been spread as warnings to stay away from their path. Their style of hunting was highly savage and they had absolutely no respect to their opponents or to giving them a clean death if they thought torturing their victims further helped their goals. Yarel felt his heart turn cold as he thought that he was forced to face those monsters face-to-face, simply because of Ruby's past deeds. Yarel knew better than to question her motives but the fact that Ruby hadn't warned the siblings about this danger as a real one made Yarel frown heavily. However, his concerns were interrupted by a silent call from his sister.

"Let's go that way! The quicker we can cross the river, the easier it'll be for us to hide our scent" The thinclaw pointed to the right where the river made a quick turn, opening an unhindered way to safety and the body of water was also narrower at that point. However, the thought brought additional worries to Ruby's mind. Dein and Terri were far from stupid and they'd suspect their prey to take the easier route. Even if the fast runner knew it'd be a risky move, she answered to Greentail in deep worry.

"That's what they want us to do! I think we should take the harder way because if we take the harder route, the sharpteeth will have a harder time finding us!" Ruby cringed at her words as she knew it could easily backfire but at least it'd provide a brief reprieve to the three friends. Greentail returned a stunned look, the other female clearly disapproving of Ruby's words. Her words were condemning and urgent as she answered.

"They'll find us without a doubt if we waste any more time here! Our only option is to leave this place as soon as we simply can!" Greentail cried, knowing that the three couldn't overestimate the sniffers of the sharpteeth and that mistake would be a fatal one. Ruby's teeth ached as she bit them together but she couldn't really question the thinclaw's reasoning. There was simply no time for any hopeful thoughts or clever plans. Two of the most dangerous dinosaurs alive were on their trail and any hopes of trying to outsmart them would be suicidal at this point.

Greentail's eyes were fixed on the pitch-black ground as the trio approached the river. The thinclaw jumped down to a small ravine which would be the group's springboard to the bottom of the steep valley. Despite the female's best efforts to keep her balance, the rocky bottom of the small ravine nearly tripping Greentail but it wouldn't keep her still for a second. Ruby cringed at the complete darkness and she grabbed at the gorge's wall slightly, throwing herself more comfortably to the ground. All of the three omnivores knew that any falling could easily prove fatal in this rocky ground but each of them got through it without any major drama.

The river glimmered in the starlight like a touch of light in the night and its surface was only slightly rippled by the wind. Yarel ran beside his sister towards it, knowing that their fates would be decided very soon. The trees surrounding the river seemed completely calm but they hid a deadly threat among them. The male cried in a restrained voice as the group prepared to jump into the water and begin their escape from the valley and the danger they now found themselves in.

"Let's swim to the right until we reach the turn! From there, the way is clear!" His words echoed the group's earlier decision but repeating them gave them more confidence that their struggles weren't for nothing. With a deep breath, Yarel jumped into the chilly river, quickly followed by his companions. The boy gasped for breath in alarm at first until he found his confidence in swimming again. It was far from the preferred environment for a thinclaw but some situations, like these, demanded action. The river was surprisingly deep but it was no use worrying about it. The male heard his sister's voice soon after he had started swimming towards their destination.

"Only a few more moments is all we need… how I hope they won't find us now…" The weight of the situation was beginning to weigh on Greentail's mind as she started to speak only to calm herself. Yarel gazed at her in worry but was relieved to see she was following him and Ruby with good pace.

"It's only a few more moments and we'll be safe. Those sharpteeth will never find us here." Yarel realized himself how utterly stupid his words were. This was the most obvious place the half teeth could be in but the trio had to hope for the best. They had nothing else to hold on at this point.

Yarel panted heavily as he pulled himself up from the stream. The coldness, despite his feathers' protection, had quickly creeped under his skin and the boy was trembling as the cool night air once again greeted his body. He was more than astounded the trio had reached this point without being seen but he was growing really uneasy. It was highly probable that the sharpteeth would have already reached the river but where were they? Why were they nowhere to be seen? Yarel looked at his companions with a weary expression but he didn't stop to talk. Now all that remained was to sprint through the forest and exit the valley from its eastern opening.

"Come on, quick! We have no time to waste!" Neither of his companions questioned his command and the trio quickly disappeared into the forest once again. Yarel looked at the surrounding trees in fear as his eyes couldn't see anything about what lurked between them. Still, if the sharpteeth hadn't found them by now, the half teeth stood a good chance of escape. Yarel tried to stay calm and concentrate his efforts of the way ahead…. before his and his companions' luck ran out.

Quickly, as if a deadly wind between the trees, a yellow-greenish form of a sharptooth jumped from the woods and before any of the omnivores had the time to react, the predator moved towards Ruby and kicked her with a powerful force. The fast runner screamed in pain and horror as she hit a nearby tree, her right leg and head taking a powerful hit. The claws of the sharptooth had opened a deep wound to her thigh but, to her immense relief, she quickly realized it wasn't serious enough to hold her down.

"Ruby, run! We have to go!" Yarel screamed in horror as he looked at the fast runner who did her best to rise from the ground. However, the charging sharptooth forced her to regain her footing and a few seconds before the predator's tail crushed the place where she had lied, Ruby could rise to her wobbly feet. With a frenzied sprint, she rejoined her friends but to their misfortune, the sharptooth's charge had made them lose track of their direction. For now, all mattered was escape. Her escape was accompanied by a horrifying roar of the carnivore.

"Run as much as you want, coward! You'll pay soon enough!"

* * *

Terri looked at the trio in extreme agitation but she was also relieved that she had managed to confuse the half teeth enough to heading back towards the river. She had hoped to slaughter Ruby during the initial contact but that was exactly the reason she had proposed splitting up to her mate. Now her strategy had begun moving forward as she was leading Ruby and her friends into a trap from which there was no escape. No matter what, Chomper's death wouldn't go unavenged. However, Terri wasn't going to let Dein have all the reprieve of this hunt. With a mighty roar, the female darted after the trio in full speed.

* * *

In her mind Ruby cursed having to be drawn to this chase in night. Escaping from a sharptooth was extremely difficult even in daylight and now the carnivore had even the advantage of better night vision than her. Even more so than before, the trio struggled to find a safe footing whereas Terri simply seemed to float through the woods with no effort. However, as her mind begun to clear from the nasty hit, a horrifying fear started to form in Ruby's mind.

Why was Terri hunting alone? It was her roar Ruby had heard crying in the distance and she hadn't seen a glimpse of Chomper's father this whole night. Had he faced his end on some previous hunt? If that was the case, Ruby could certainly understand even better why Terri was so extremely upset. However, there was no proof of Dein's demise, a possibility which embraced Ruby's heart in an icy grip. If Dein was here alongside his mate, where was he? The fast runner could see that similar thoughts were floating in her companions' minds but they simply had no chance of thinking about the implications of those possibilities. A sharptooth was on their tail and she was gaining on the three friends at a rapid rate.

Ruby's whole body was trembling as she heard her chaser's step growing ever closer and louder, knowing she and her friends would have to come up with something quick if they wished to survive. Ever since that dreadful sand cloud, the girl had finally come to the realization how precious and fleeting one's life was and she could already see in her mind's eye her and her friends' bodies lying in the ground as mere haunting remembers of the lives and dreams that had passed away in the predators' claws. However, the fast runner wasn't going to give up. She had gone so far in her search for her family and she owed it to them to help them against the very threat she was facing now. However, Ruby's already taxed mind took only another blow as she saw the sight opening up between the trees.

The same river the trio had crossed earlier opened before them, cutting their escape forward. The friends had hoped they were running to the right direction but their hopes had been proven misplaced. Not only were they further away from the rescue but they were already too close to be surrounded. Greentail cried in fear as she saw the disheartening sight.

"We can't cross it, the river's too wide! We have to try to turn around and…" The thinclaw's yell was cut short by another loud roar from their right side and before the omnivores could turn their heads, another sharptooth charged towards them from the woods near them. Ruby looked at Dein's advancing form, knowing that her chances of survival were growing increasingly small. However, there was still one way she and her friends could run to and none of them hesitated a moment before they took off to that direction.

* * *

Terri exchanged glances with her mate, affirming that their plan was going on as planned. The three pitiful child killers were running straight towards their doom and there was nothing they could do about it anymore. While Terri was making sure they wouldn't escape back to the forest, Dein was charging at the trio in a merciless gleam in his eyes. This unusual and personal hunt was very quickly nearing its end.

* * *

The fast runner cringed as she felt the ground growing softer by the second. It felt like her feet were sinking into it, making her advance increasingly forced. With a sickened feeling, she realized the plan of the sharpteeth. Before the omnivores opened a well-hidden, sinking swamp which would very quickly halt their escape, making it easy for the massive predators to finish the job. There was only one she could do at this point. Knowing that their chances for survival were minimal in any case, she jumped to her right and headed towards the river despite the clear danger.

"It's a trap! We have to cross the river or we're lost!" The fast runner yelled, not waiting for her friends' answer. If they wanted to see the rising of the Bright Circle, she knew they'd follow her. Even the small chance of the trio being able to cross the river was better than a certain death in the swamp.

Greentail and Yarel looked at each other, knowing that Ruby was right. There was no escape for them now: they were also being chased alongside their new friend. The thinclaws quickly followed Ruby but they saw Dein getting alarmingly close to the fast runner. She had locked her eyes on the stream, preparing to jump as far into it as she simply was able. She knew Dein was dangerously close to her but there was nothing she could about it. With a sick feeling, Ruby jumped into the water… only to feel an overwhelming pain in her back. Her mind was completely incapacitated by the wounds the sharptooth's claws had left on her upper back and the base of her neck and her shock prevented her from allowing to fight against the powerful current. The thinclaws looked in fear as they saw their friend being swept downstream, nearly knocked unconscious by the pain and bleeding. She would likely survive them but both of the thinclaws knew they couldn't follow Ruby without endangering themselves further. The duo quickly swam over the river, seeing that Dein merely snorted after them before darting after Ruby.

* * *

The pain of numerous rocks hitting her body only worsened Ruby's pain as she did her best to regain her composure. She was still bleeding heavily but the overall shock of her injury was starting to wear off. However, she looked in panic around her as she saw the narrow but quick river taking her along with it. With herculean struggles, the young fast runner managed to stay afloat but soon enough, she saw that she'd have to do something quickly or face immediate attack. Terri had joined her mate in tracking her down and they were closing in on her. It wouldn't be long before they dared to assault her directly and when that moment came, her life would be forfeit. The immense pain in her back did its best to prevent Ruby from escaping but the fast runner understood everything that was at stake.

The girl grabbed on a nearby rock with all her might, the impact hitting her ribs with a great force but with desperate efforts, she pulled her up on the boulder and with slight stumbles, resumed her running.

* * *

"That's brat's not going to escape! Quickly, after her! Dein said in growing anger as she looked at Ruby disappearing into the forest. He could feel a similar sentiment rising within her mate who merely snorted before answering.

"Then follow them, Dein, and stop jabbering! Luckily she won't be able to lose us anymore…" Terri said, sniffing at the sweet smell of blood, before she jumped over the river with one mighty leap. Meanwhile, a smile appeared on her face as she looked at the stone Ruby had used to climb to the shore. It was painted red by the fast runner's blood and that was a smell trail no sharptooth could ever be shaken off from. The female carnivore looked at the woods in satisfaction as Terri felt the thud of her mate joining her just behind her. Ruby's final chase was on.

* * *

"Come on, the sharpteeth won't reach us anymore if we get away now!" Yarel said in a confused voice as he looked at the forested hills around him. The entire night had suddenly turned into a nightmare and the thinclaw's thoughts were a complete mess. He had seen Ruby being swept down the river seriously injured and disappearing behind a turn not far downstream. Ruby's disaster could turn to the siblings' salvation if they decided to seize the opportunity. However, his voice didn't convince even himself and he could see his sister's eyes bearing the same thoughts as he was. Greentail looked at the river with burdened eyes, her mind clearly burdened by the dilemma she and her brother were forced to face.

"She can never escape alone. The sharpteeth are not going to lose her scent anymore, that is for certain." Greentail's voice wavered as she spoke, not willing to go as far as calling for the two to sprint off to save Ruby from her horrifying fate. However, she couldn't force her legs to take another step uphill even if there opened the way to freedom. Ruby had been the first one to offer her friendship to the siblings and even this one, short day together had felt like an endless relief to the two after their long, lonely months in the forest. However, even against his conscience, Yarel's lips formed the only words that made sense anymore.

"B…but it would be pure madness! It's against all our wisdoms! You said it yourself: Ruby is injured and it'd be a miracle if she can even run! We'd just get ourselves killed without any reason! We didn't try to survive all this time just to get killed now!" The male felt miserable as it had been him who had initially argued for joining Ruby in her journey and now he was telling his sister to abandon her. The silhouette of the sharptooth by the river in the far distance chilled him greatly but he couldn't help but feel grateful that they weren't after him now. However, it was clear that neither of the two were really arguing about this issue: rather, they were mirroring each other's opposite emotions. And it was clear to all which side would win.

"We already broke the wisdoms by coming here and she needs our help, Yarel! You wanted to get on this journey and I already thought you to be better than this! We don't have more time: if we don't go now, Ruby will surely die!" With decisive movements, Greentail turned around to face the forest near the right bank of the river. Somewhere down there, Ruby was fighting for her life against two mighty predators. Greentail's mind was too overwhelmed to be able to think about the situation rationally but it was clear she had made up her mind. Yarel took another glance at the forest but he had to admit that neither could he force himself to run there. With a deep sigh and a pained expression, Yarel answered to her sister.

"I guess you're right. We owe it to her. Now, come on! We don't have a second to waste!" And with those words, the thinclaws turned their backs to the option which any half tooth should have chosen. They could only hope that their gamble wouldn't be for nothing.

* * *

Heavy panting and wavering steps accompanied Ruby as she against all hope tried to create as much distance between herself and her chasers before it would be too late. She knew her injuries would draw the carnivores towards her but what else could she do? The fast runner felt pain in her chest as she thought that she was once again on her own, her new friends most likely running for their lives at this point. The girl couldn't even begin to imagine they'd choose anything but the safe option here.

The omnivore's eyes scoured the terrain before her for any help or shelter. The lack of lighting complicated those efforts and to her growing horror, she could slowly begin to hear the now-familiar steps far behind her. There was no chance she'd be able to outrun them with her injury so hiding and swift covering of her would was the only option she had left. _They'd find me under those rocks and there's no way a sharptooth wouldn't see me under some pile of leaves! Oh, what can I do? Would that… that's it!_

As a rare reprieve this night, Ruby spotted a small groove between two large trees, it's mouth small enough so that there was a chance the sharptooth wouldn't find her there. The fast runner quickly gathered a good handful of leaves to end her bleeding and quickly jumped to her perceived shelter. And not a moment too early: the sharpteeth reached her position after a very short while. Ruby cringed in pain as she forcefully put the leaves against her would in an effort to quickly stop the blood pouring to the soft ground. However, it wasn't long before the girl realized she was already too late.

The fast runner looked in fear as the two carnivores started to sniff for the air, apparently noticing the sudden end of the trail. Ruby started to shiver ever more violently as they moved ever closer, the thuds of their steps making the soil start to slowly fall upon the hapless dinosaur. She tried to make her way deeper into the tunnel but those hopes were crushed shortly. As if a thunder from the clear sky, a sharptooth's claws dug through the ground, penetrating the entire groove Ruby was hiding in. She gasped for air as she realized that she would have been impaled if she was sitting only a bit nearer the sinkhole's mouth. Before she could do anything more, the whole ceiling of the tunnel was dug up by a mighty swipe from the sharptooth. Suddenly, Ruby's whole shelter had been taken away, leaving her wide open for the decisive blow.

At this point, Ruby could no longer take it. All of this had come to pass because of her own mistakes but on every leg of her journey thus far, she had tried to do the right thing but despite that, it seemed like the world was throwing each and every disaster her way. The sudden appearance of her best friend's parents was only another blow and it seemed like it would be the final one. Tears formed in Ruby's eyes as she turned her eyes at the two sharpteeth who looked at her in loathing and hate. With a broken voice, she cried to the predators in a pleading voice.

"I'm sorry about all this! It was my fault and Chomper had no part in anything that happened! But it was all an accident… We lost all of our friends and Chomper was with us! I was the only one who survived… poor Chomper…" The memories of the blue sharptooth returned to her mind but her heartfelt answer didn't help any in this situation. The two carnivores' expressions were unmoved but they didn't strike the deadly blow right away. After a few seconds, Terri raised her head close to Ruby and answered with a similarly emotional outburst.

"You mean that you left Chomper to die so you could escape yourself?! We should have expected no less from your kind in the first place and don't worry, our son's sacrifice wasn't for nothing! Your family will pay alongside with you as Chomper's wellbeing was on all your shoulders. Once we're done with you, they will be next." The female carnivore's voice communicated finality but it was also heavily burdened by sorrow and despair. The toll the news had taken on Terri was evident to everyone present. Her words, however, caught Ruby's attention far more than her expression. Ruby's tears stopped flowing as the implications begun to really dawn on Ruby. The fast runner could see that the threat was very clear. With some struggling, Ruby rose to her feet and spoke in a fearful and desperate voice.

"No, please listen to me! This whole mess was my doing and I am the only one you can blame for it! My family had nothing to do with this, please leave them be!" Her personal lamenting had disappeared under her gripping fear for her family. In that moment, Ruby was completely prepared to pay for her mistake if it would save her family from the predators' revenge. However, the duo's first answer to her plead was far from encouraging. Dein snorted loathingly, taking another step towards Ruby and speaking a snarling tone.

"Chomper deserved so much better than to be betrayed by you, someone he was foolish enough to call his friend. I truly thought you cared of him enough to keep him safe, and for a long time we thought we had chosen right. We had helped your family to live without fear from the other sharpteeth and with their help, we were gaining an upper hand against Red Claw. That bastard was losing many allies to us and we were preparing to finally take him down once and for all. You can only think how our plans changed when a flier flew to us telling us of something we would have to see." At this point, Dein's eyes begun to grow moist even if Terri looked more than eager to embowel the source of their misery but it was clear that her mate wanted to finish his speech. Ruby turned her head to the ground, knowing what was coming. She already braced for the mental images that would soon be burned to her mind.

"Hearing he had news of Chomper, we immediately followed him and after almost a day's trek, we arrived at the scene we should see. It was a desert near the Great Valley and he had nearly been submerged by the recent sand cloud. But there he was, lying without the least reminder of life in his broken body. The joyful twinkle in his eyes had been snuffed out and only an empty glare stared to the sky. But as a further insult to his memory he had been merely slaughtered and not a mouthful of his body had been eaten. You were the only one who could have prevented it and you failed pitifully!" The last words were roared and the mournful wail brought a sick feeling to Ruby's stomach.

Even then, the thing she had accepted long ago had finally been confirmed. Chomper was truly dead, the two would never never share a miraculous reunion in this life. The one thought that Ruby had tried to avoid even after all hope was gone finally flooded into her consciousness: Chomper, her dearest friend, was not returning. Deep gulps rose to the fast runner's mind as she realized the full magnitude of that knowledge. The only thing that prevented her complete mental collapse was the immense danger she still found herself in. The fast runner stuttered heavily, fighting against her own tears as she spoke.

"We were separated in that very sand cloud. We lost each other in it because we were attacked by fast biters. The last I saw of Chomper was when he wouldn't leave Littlefoot and Cera to die. I told him to follow me but he didn't listen. I would have wanted to go back for him but it wouldn't have helped. The whole situation was hopeless." Ruby was too overcome with emotions to even begin coming up with a lie on this moment, no matter the consequences to herself. As was to be expected, her words did little to ease the tension of this conversation. It was Terri who once again addressed the young fast runner and her voice was, if possible, even more toxic than it had been the last time.

"And because of that, all is lost! Don't worry Ruby, Chomper will soon have the luxury of knowing that those whose fault his demise was will join him!" And with those words, Terri quickly took a few steps forward to finish the job when something highly surprising happened. The sharptooth suddenly felt a small but stinging pain in her leg that momentarily caught her off guard. The sharptooth quickly turned around to see the attacker and she was extremely surprised to see who it was. One of the insufferable half teeth had seemingly decided to knowingly search for death but Terri couldn't come up with any reason why a juvenile thinclaw would attack her this brashly. With an annoyed roar, Terri turned around to strike her down when another, extremely important development happened. While she was preparing to strike Greentail down, Yarel jumped on her head from a nearby hill, immediately heading to attack the carnivore's eyes.

Terri couldn't understand at first what was happening but she very quickly bowed her head and tried to strike the puny attacker away. Yarel cringed in fear as he did his best to dodge the furious attacks but with quick coordination and reflexes, he managed to avoid the deadly claws searching for his blood. Ruby looked at the new development in astonishment, already resigned to the fact that the duo had escaped as any sensible dinosaur would do. However. they had returned and they were risking their lives in this fight. Ruby quickly started moving when he heard Greentail's cry.

"Run, Ruby! We can't keep them at bay for long!" She shouted in leaf eater to hide their meaning for at least a moment. Time was truly off the essence and every second only increased the possibility of the two failing to contain the threat. However, the female thinclaw could see that Yarel was up to something. He still tried to injure Terri's eyes but there was something more to his plans. Dein was moving to help her mate and Yarel realized that there was a chance for further damage to the sharptooth than he had initially thought. As the predators, did the most realistic thing they could, Yarel cried to Greentail in alert.

"Move behind her leg! Prevent her from getting a good footing!" Yarel cried as Terri bowed to her mate to let Dein take out the troublesome half tooth. However, as the male thinclaw dodged the first attack, Terri suddenly moved to the left to crush Yarel against a tree. A mistake that would prove extremely costly. The female sharptooth's heel rose from the ground and while Yarel did his best trying to get Terri off-balance, his sister moved to stand near her foot and when Terri was reeling at her mate's efforts and Yarel's mischief, Greentail pushed at the foot with all her might. This caught the predator completely by surprise and she could feel her footing grow unbalanced. However, Ruby could see that it wasn't yet enough. Terri was looking extremely fearful but she could yet regain her balance. With immense risk and pain, the fast runner knew he'd have to help her friends and with immense pain and risk, Ruby ran to the location where she saw Terri's foot falling.

The fast runner's whole vertebrae were hit by an immense force as the sharptooth's leg fell upon it. Ruby would have wanted to cry in agony but the situation was far too dangerous for that. After a second that seemed to stretch for an eternity, she could feel the pressure easing as she realized she had succeeded in her effort. Ruby raised her gaze and saw that the giant sharptooth was finally tripped… but it was falling right at her! With panicked movements, Ruby jumped away from the sharptooth's way and looked in horror as Terri's body fell at protruding logs and nasty rocks near her, causing the predator to scream in immense pain and immediately causing large amounts of blood pouring to the ground. Terri started to immediately writhe and twist in agony and she tried to rise to her feet but the injuries were too severe for her to regain her footing. Ruby looked at the sight in shock, relieved to see that the siblings' plan had worked but also disgusted and saddened at this display. Despite their recent disagreements, this was Chomper's mother and the fact that she had caused this to her sickened the fast runner greatly. She could only begin to think what would have done had the young sharptooth been here to see the result of their clash. With a single tear falling out from her eye, Ruby apologized to her fallen friend.

 _I'm so sorry, Chomper. I never wanted this but it was the only way to save myself. Wherever you are, please… please, forgive me for this!_

* * *

The fast runner's sorrow and guilt was nothing compared to what Dein felt at this moment. Only a minute ago, he and his mate had been standing triumphant, preparing to get rid of the one dinosaur whose fault Chomper's passing was. But now, he was looking at the injured form of his beloved mate whose blood was painting the black ground red. And beside her was standing the very same dinosaur who had taken his son away from him. Dein cry could be heard across the valley as he contemplated at everything Ruby had taken from him. His mate was still alive but she was horribly injured, thanks to Ruby and her outrageously fearless friends. There were no time for futile words the predators exchanged a brief, understanding gaze as Terri nodded on her mate to continue the hunt. The three omnivores looked at the male sharptooth, the tension tangible in the air. Dein's mind worked in overdrive on how to finish the job he and her mate had started and now he had even more reason to see that Ruby would not survive until the morning.

* * *

Ruby on the other hand, looked at the sharptooth, knowing that she would have to resume her flight any second now. Somehow, Terri's injury had frozen the situation. Ruby knew that it hadn't been many seconds since her fall but each moment seemed to stretch on for hours. The girl took her time to make appreciating glances at her friends who had saved her from certain death. She had wondered whether the two truly wanted to follow her but at this point, Ruby had no more doubts about their loyalties. They would see this danger off together or die trying.

All of those thoughts were immediately shattered as Dein started to charge against the three with a more mournful and enraged growl than Ruby had imagined possible from a sharptooth. Immediately, the half teeth took off again, Greentail leading them forward. She screamed in deep fear as she knew Dein would reach them at any moment and now, they had no chance to take him off by any imaginable means.

"We saw a small pass leading to the plains somewhere in this direction! We must find it before that sharptooth catches us!" Greentail said as she jumped another stone with a powerful jump, making her way to the higher ground overlooking the base of the valley. She cringed heavily as she knew these forced rises only benefited Dein due to their differences in size but there was nothing she or any of the others could do about it. All the while, she could hear Dein roaring behind them as they struggled to even preserve the existing gap between them and the beast.

"This ends here, half tooth scum! You have run long enough!" The sharptooth said as he jumped above the rise the omnivores had struggled to rise, standing less than a longneck's tail's length from his prey. The walls of the valley were approaching quickly but Dein knew he had more than enough time to finish the job. To his chagrin, Ruby and Yarel had spread out further to the forest but Greentail had stayed near the middle, apparently thinking she could move faster without trees to hinder her. Dein snorted as he thought about her plan. _That just shows how stupid those kids are! That's a fatal mistake!_ The male sharptooth darted on an unforeseen sprint and o her horror, Greentail noticed it immediately.

With growing despair, the thinclaw realized her situation was growing increasingly hopeless. The hapless half tooth turned left and tried to move behind a small cliff to take cover from the incoming attack. However, Dein was this time faster than she could have imagined. Before Greentail could get into hiding, she could see that the sharptooth's jaws were quickly closing in around her. The thinclaw let out a silent, desperate cry and tried to jump away from Dein's reach. However, that last resort led to another, unforeseen disaster for the omnivore.

Seeing that the smaller dinosaur was off guard for a moment, he hit Greentail with his hand, all his claws aimed at her throat. However, his hit missed by the tiniest of margins but it was enough to interrupt Greentail's jump. With an uncontrolled flight, the omnivore hurled towards a large, sharp rock, her head hitting its sharp edge with a terrifying force. The impact darkened Greentail's world immediately but she could still feel the stinging, unimaginable pain flushing through her body. The hit had struck a deep wound to her forehead but even to her own amazement, she hadn't lost her consciousness by a long shot. Mere seconds later, she was completely shaken off from her mental slumber by her brother's call nearby.

"Greentail, come now! We'll heal your wound when we get safe!" Yarel felt numbness take over his mind as he looked at his sister's injured head and her unsure steps. Her whole face was suddenly being painted red but to his immense relief, the male could see his sister being able to walk and perhaps even escape from Dein's grasp as the tunnel was very near and the forest was growing too dense from the sharptooth to chase them effectively. Ruby also noticed what had happened and both of them quickly headed towards their injured companion, no matter the danger to themselves.

Dein looked at the thinclaw in ever-growing anger. She had received a nasty hit to her head but she still wasn't dead or mortally wounded. The sharptooth didn't waste time resuming his chase and ending the annoying brat's seemingly endless flight. However, Dein, too, realized he was running out of time. No matter which way the half teeth were running to, they would reach it soon as the highest hills bordering the river valley were growing ever higher and imposing as he approached them.

Even while she tried to keep her attention on her friends, Greentail's head felt like it was slowly being grinded to dust by an ever-strengthening headache that slowly engulfed her whole consciousness. She could see that the escape was near but that knowledge was slowly being overshadowed by her deteriorating situation. To her alarm and extreme fear, Ruby could see that Greentail wouldn't be able to escape at this rate as her pace was growing slower by the minute. With a fearful look, Ruby quickly looked around herself and distinct memories were growing in her mind. The bushes around her were bearing the last remains of the Warm Time's berries and some of them were rather strong-smelling. While by no means as effective as those in the Hidden Canyon, these could be enough to give Greentail the few moments she'd need to escape even in her current, highly worrying state.

"Yarel, gather a few of these! We need to confuse Dein for just a few seconds!" The girl said as she gathered a few dozen of the yellowish berries. She wasted no time heading towards the sharptooth at this point and without any hesitation, she cried aloud.

"You've already gone far enough, sharptooth! Chase me for a change!" Ruby yelled as she suddenly tore the berries open, Dein not paying much attention to her odd gestures. The predator's eyes bored into Ruby as it was still her he wanted the most. His eyes narrowed one more time as he hissed his answer.

Dein merely growled as an answer and begun to move towards Ruby but the fast runner quickly disappeared into the dark woods, invisible even to the carnivore's eyes. He quickly raised his sniffer to the air but to his shock, all he could smell was some strong, overly sweet smell coming from near him. It wasn't long before he saw the crushed berries all around him, apparently dropped by the two brats. Once again, he'd been tricked as he wouldn't find Ruby in the woods before the smell would wear off. It was time to throw away all caution. The sharptooth quickly headed towards the mountains, knowing Greentail had escaped in that direction.

* * *

"Just a little more, Greentail! We're there soon!" Yarel said as he tried to help his sister stay on her feet. No one would call her steps running but she still managed to jog slightly. Yarel was more than grateful to Ruby for her taunting but Greentail's situation was only growing worse. He could already see the very narrow pass the two had seen earlier, opening before them like a tiny gate to freedom after this night of horrors. The forest was extremely dense but the light of the Bright Circle illuminated the heavenly sight. In just a few moments, everything would be well again. Just a few more seconds…

"Hurry, Yarel! He's coming!" Ruby yelled as she quickly joined the two, only then noticing Greentail's slow and unsure footing. The fast runner's face fell immediately but she quickly moved to her side and said to her friend softly.

"Run now, Greentail, and you'll be able to run again! You won't join your parents just yet!" Ruby knew those words would be sure to raise some feelings in her friend's fleeting consciousness and to be sure, the thinclaw's dimming eyes seemed to register those words. The omnivore's pace improved somewhat and not a second too soon. As a final resort, Dein charged through the woods in his last effort to slaughter the trio and they looked in fear as the massive form of the predator grew closer by the minute. His body was cast against the sky as a pitch-black shadow of death in the night and Ruby and Yarel quickly took firm grips of Greentail's arms and quickly pulled her with them, determined to take her with them. The walls of the narrow pass slowly rose around them but it was still not narrow enough.

Dein could see that he was on the verge of being outsmarted and as final effort to save his face he run straight into the pass, hoping to crush the juvenile omnivores under her feet but all too soon, he could feel his last hopes fading. The walls of the pass quickly seemed to grab on his sides, preventing him from taking the last few steps to finish the job. However, that knowledge only worsened his struggles, no matter how futile they would be. The one guilty of Chomper's demise would escape and he would leave his mate's injury unavenged. After a moment, he hissed to Ruby as he resigned to the unchangeable reality.

"This isn't over, fast runner. We will find you and your family again. The next time we meet will be our last."

Ruby on the other hand, looked at the sharptooth in unending relief, almost willing to collapse against the cliff in mental exhaustion. She only looked at the raging sharptooth who was slowly moving away from the tunnel. The fast runner had already accepted that her demise had come but once again, she had managed to escape from the jaws of death. However, there was another one who still needed help. Ruby quickly run to Yarel's side who had put Greentail sitting against the wall. She looked extremely pale and her gaze had lost any focus it had once had.

"Come, help me stop the bleeding! She's getting too weak! She's passing out!" Yarel cried in growing desperation as the bleeding from her head continued unabated, telling its own sad tale of her condition. The thinclaw's body seemed to be completely still as Yarel and Ruby gathered fallen leaves and dust from the ground to finally stop the bleeding from the gaping wound. They weren't hard to find and the duo quickly moved to cover her wound with whatever they could find. However, both Ruby and Yarel were growing increasingly fearful as they saw the streaming blood and Greentail's increasingly hazy and directionless eyes. Their only relief was that their companion seemed to be unconscious and the apparent pain didn't prevent their help.

However, Greentail wasn't completely unconscious. Not yet anyway. Her eyes could see the fuss around her and somehow, the girl realized they were safe now. However, all parts of her mind were overshadowed by the all-numbing pain in her head and the increasingly sick feeling in her belly and every other deeper meaning around her was beyond her mental reach. Even if she didn't realize it herself, her stomach suddenly started to gurgle and she started to writhe heavily. Following them, Greentail vomited on her helpers stunning them in ever-deepening alarm but her mind was too hazy to even realize it. Only seconds afterwards, the girl slowly fell to the ground, the last pieces of knowledge still tying her into the reality finally turning off.

* * *

 **Ruby and her friends have managed to escape for now but not without a heavy price. Will Greentail survive her horrendous injury or will one of Ruby's companions meet her end here? And just as importantly, what can the fast runner do to save her family from the sharpteeth? No matter what happens, these developments mark a major blow for Ruby's efforts to salvage what she can of her broken life. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you next time! :)**

 **The Rhombus: Indeed, there is a lot for Petrie to learn if he is going to survive among the fliers. You're correct that he knows roughly what is going on with the status fights but there is still a lot for him to learn, especially in this new, unpredictable situation. The murder will certainly create more complications but we'll see soon enough how the fliers are planning to avoid escalation. What is certain is that the situation is certainly heating up. I'm glad you found this chapter enjoyable as I spent some time thinking about how to best execute it. It's certainly true that both main characters are walking towards new challenges.**


	19. Solving the Crisis

**Solving the Crisis**

The anxious, waiting mood in the quickly assembling flyer herd was quite tangible. Each of the arriving dinosaurs could tell that something terrible had come to pass during the night but only very few knew what that something was. The calling of all of the herd members together was far from usual and it had used usually if there had been some kind of natural disaster or attack. However, all of the flyers could tell that no such things had happened today so what was the reason for alarm call? Everyone knew that wouldn't be a secret for long but it did little to help the fearful atmosphere.

Pterano was just as oblivious to the latest development as most others as he and Petrie slowly approached the already sizable crowd and the older flyer cringed heavily as he thought about the coming minutes. This certainly wasn't something he had hoped Petrie to face this quickly but it couldn't be helped. However, there was also another thing that worried the brownish male deeply. In situations like these, he'd usually meet up with Lenel to see if he had anything he'd want to tell his assistants. Pterano had always done so but the yesterday's incident had seemed highly worrying. When he had found his nephew and Glide before Petrie's test, the boy had seemed clearly troubled by something and Pterano couldn't help but fear there had been some kind of incident with some other flyer.

Even then, Pterano wasn't going to let his benefactor down at this point. Not only had Lenel helped him countless times during their times together, Pterano had grown to respect the light-colored flyer greatly. He had serious doubts about leaving Petrie alone but he simply had no chance. The flyer was still lost in his own thoughts when he heard Petrie speak to him with a somewhat concerned tone.

"What has happened, uncle? You seem to know why we gathering here." Petrie had noticed that his uncle knew what this occasion meant and the older flyer's silence did little to alleviate the boy's fears. The younger flyer wanted to know if there would be anything to worry here. Pterano glanced at him and after a short pause, answered Petrie's question.

"It's been something really bad but I cannot say what, Petrie. Still, don't worry, we'll know soon enough. But there's one thing you should know, nephew. I'll have to go for a while to see if Lenel has something he'd want from me. You have to wait some time but there shouldn't happen anything too dangerous at this point." Pterano regretted his words but he had no options at this point. Petrie frowned to his uncle slightly and answered quickly as the two started their landing on the eerily silent plain which was being filled with flyers.

"Why you go to see Lenel, uncle Pterano? Doesn't he have to be there to tell what has happened with the other leaders?" Petrie asked oddly, not having the slightest of ideas about his uncle's intentions. Pterano immediately twitched in annoyance, suddenly remembering he hadn't told Petrie anything about his relationship with Lenel and he didn't have a lot of time to explain things to Petrie. The older flyer took a sigh and answered quickly to his nephew's question.

"You're right, I never told about it, Petrie. All of the leading flyers have one or two herd members who help them in their leading tasks or other requests and in return receive some favors from them. I often help Lenel in times of trouble like this one and actually, Petrie, getting you to join the herd would have been much harder without Lenel's help. I don't know if he has something he wants of me today but I'll have to go see if there's something I can do. Is that alright?" Pterano looked at Petrie in slight worry and the younger dinosaur was slightly surprised by this news and he simply nodded and answered silently.

"Alright, uncle! Just try to make sure things are okay! Petrie wait here." The boy said, earning a slightly relieved smile from his uncle who, despite his nephew unsuccessful attempts to find friends in the herd, trusted that Petrie would be alright. The older flyer nodded to Petrie briefly before he started to take off.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, nephew. Let's just hope nothing terrible has happened." And with those words, the older flier rose to his wings again but this flight wouldn't be a long one. It was mere seconds before he spotted the light-colored flyer standing near a steep cliff with his another follower, a slightly smaller female. He also spotted Peak not far from the other leader, seemingly shocked and angered by something. Pterano frowned at the sight, having the feeling that the alarm call had something to do with this unusual outburst from the usually calm flyer. However, all of that would be made clear as the brownish flyer landed near Lenel. The slightly larger flier quickly turned to look at the newcomer and his face was unmoved by Pterano's appearance. However, his voice was close to friendly as he spoke.

"Greetings, Pterano. It's good that you came here. A tragedy has struck us and we're trying to find a way to find a response to it." The flyer said, his voice clearly worried by his words. The green-colored looked at Pterano with some unease, her composure resembling that of Lenel's. Pterano looked at the other male with some confusion and asked the obvious question.

"What has happened? It isn't like you and the others to call everyone here without a clear threat upon us!" The brownish flyer said to which Lenel took a brief nod at Peak's direction. He was surrounded mostly by his family relatives as he was preparing to break the news to everyone. Lenel quickly turned back to Pterano and answered silently.

"One of the flyers of this herd murdered Peak's cousin in the dark of the night, slicing his throat open before he could even move his wing to protect himself. We called everyone here to ensure the murderer doesn't get away. Peak's cousin was one of his closest allies and his death certainly will raise his doubts against everyone here until this thing is resolved once and for all. We cannot afford this accident spread mistrust among us. Sadly, he is far too suspicious by this disaster to let anyone else but his family to do any investigations. There are many flyers more capable than them but I guess we have to respect his choice." Lenel's eyes turned into deep frown as he spoke and he moved his hands nervously. Pterano, however, was greatly saddened by these news as he had often found Ortin and his father quite respectable flyers and it was clear that this knowledge would spread to Petrie soon enough. The brownish male understood extremely well what Lenel meant by his call for quick and decisive resolution. There was no telling if the killer would strike again before long. This time one of the other flyers, a greenish female, asked in a somewhat frustrated voice.

"Isn't there anything we can do? Can we really trust Peak is capable enough to handle this thing by himself?!" The female said as she looked at the mournful flyer speak to the others about the night's tragedy. His voice nearly thundered with saddened rage and clear gasps of shock and surprise could be heard among the crowd. Nira and Nimble had moved to Peak's side in a show of support and Lenel knew he had to follow their example soon enough. He quickly spoke to his allies as he prepared to join his peers in the morbid gathering.

"As much as I regret his stubbornness, there's not lot of help we are able to offer at this point. He deserves to be able to hand these things on his own. However, I'd appreciate if you both stayed here to follow the situation in case I need your help and try to make sure that nothing unexpected happens among the herd. I don't believe the killer strikes again at this point but keep your eyes open. I'll call you if I have further instructions." Lenel cringed at his lack of better options but even a small attempt to serve the herd would be better than merely sitting on his heels doing nothing.

Pterano and the greenish female turned and nodded to each other, agreeing to their leader's proposition. Pterano regretted that he couldn't return to his nephew's side but he was far from ready to leave Lenel's side. The light-colored flyer had helped him restore some parts of his lost sense of pride and he regretted to be forced to put those duties and Petrie against each other. However, for now his choice was clear.

"Very well, Lenel. We'll do our best to ensure safety among the herd and to wait if you have any requests later on. Don't worry about this." The brownish male said with slight bow, a gesture which was soon replicated by the other flyers around him shortly. The light-colored dinosaur took a careful smile as he waved his helpers off with a small wave of his wing.

"Let's just hope you don't need to do anything else. This day has already started badly enough." Lenel said as he started to walk to Nira and Nimble's side. Pterano and his companion followed him about halfway and then went their own ways to safeguard two spots within the herd. Everyone knew the leaders' nearest allies and few would pick a fight with them. Pterano, seeing that everything was calm for now, turned to look at Peak's speech in deep worry.

* * *

"…and that is why none of you will leave this field before I allow it! One of you killed my flesh and blood and that flyer will pay with for this deed with his life! I swear this!" Disbelief and fear were the dominating hues in Petrie's eyes as he listened to Peak's words. He had seen more than enough death during his life but, no matter how difficult that was to accept emotionally, the flyer knew losing a loved to a sharptooth was all part of the great circle of life and the sharptooth weren't given a chance to choose in life. However, this was something completely different.

The mere thought of someone willingly killing another flyer without the urgent need to do so turned Petrie's stomach upside down. He didn't know who the murdered flyer was but the boy could see the clear pain on Peak's face. However, that thought was mixed with another, just as worrying one. How were the leaders planning to find out the killer among all those who had gathered in the large field? The knowledge that the killer could be the large male near him or another, young female near the other flyer brought deep anxiety to Petrie whose forehead was beginning to get soaked with cold sweat. Why hadn't Pterano returned yet? The atmosphere was growing quickly colder around the young boy when the worried gossip was again silenced by another remark from Peak.

"We know this abomination happened only a few hours ago and that the killer was rather small-sized but still clearly an adult. We are still gathering information but…" Petrie's listening was suddenly interrupted by a voice that immediately caught Petrie's attention. The speaker was a female, slightly older than he was, and her voice sounded surprisingly friendly to the boy's ears.

"This speech is growing quickly tiresome, don't you think! I thought you did well yesterday so I wondered if you'd like to come to play? My name is Eleria." The girl asked in a seemingly genuine voice as she nodded to the nearby woods' direction. Petrie looked at her oddly, not understanding why this flyer would even consider plying at this grave hour, especially since Peak had just told them to stay as a group until the murderer had been found. The male answered to the newcomer with a slight frown but he sounded as friendly as ever.

"B…but we have to stay here and not go anywhere! Do you not hear what Peak say?" The boy said, his gestures mirroring his unsure composure. The female took a slight smile and quickly answered to Petrie's comment.

"I did but he just said that the killer is an adult so who cares about us? Just come on, nobody will miss two kids in a good while!" The girl said, finally starting to turn Petrie's mind. He took one last glance at the still-speaking Peak and he couldn't question the newcomer's logic. The older flyer had said he was confident the killer had been an adult so there was no need for him stay here. If he had a chance to make a new friend at this point, was there any reason for him to turn her away? Also, there were no signs of his uncle's return so there was nothing keeping him here listening to this speech. The male's face finally abandoned its earlier concern and he quickly formed a slight smile and quickly answered to the other young flyer.

"Alright, Petrie come! Let's go before anyone notices us!" He quickly started to follow the newcomer who readily turned around and silently headed towards the edge of the forest which was very near to the duo. Both of them could see that there were some older flyers circling in the sky but they could move just slowly enough for them to miss their intermittent movements. The girl entered the woods first but Petrie followed her quickly, both of them disappearing into the thick forest safe from the gaze of the herd.

* * *

It was at this point that another pair of eyes suddenly caught the sight of the duo. Glide's eyes were moist with deep sympathy for her friend as she knew just how deeply Ortin had loved his father. Glide was standing with another one of her friends called Brownbeak who was similarly shocked by the event. However, the corner of Glide's eye caught the sight of the two young flyers walking towards the edge of the forest. Even through her sorrow and shock, the sight of Petrie still made her only remember her own failure and along with those memories, her dislike for the newcomer.

However, his companion immediately caused deep concern in the young girl's mind. She was another young flyer who Glide knew and hated deeply and she knew she was likely up to no good. For a few short seconds, Glide wondered whether to stop her plans or if she'd only stay away from that issue. Even then, Glide soon realized her mind was already made up. If Petrie was as great and skilled as he had made out himself to be, he could save himself very well. In a mixture of bitterness and sorrow, Glide crossed her arms and turned her gaze away from the duo that was entering the woods at that very moment.

* * *

After a short walk, Petrie sighed in deep relief as he looked at a small forest river quickly streaming towards a long rapid further downhill. He turned to look at his companion who seemed as lighthearted as ever.

"It much better to be out of there! The mood was getting really bad out on that field! What you wanted to play?" Petrie asked, the sudden silence calming his stretched nerved instantly. He was happy to have accepted the girl's offer and Petrie was preparing to listen to her… when he heard another voice speak to him which suddenly gripped his heart in deep fear. It was a low male voice, one that he had heard only yesterday and one Petrie had hoped to never hear again.

"Just the next day after you had to come to our burden, somebody dies! Pretty convenient, isn't it, Petrie?" Hoist appeared from between two high trees, his expression radiating with cruel malice. It was clear that the situation was just what he had wished for. Petrie turned to him immediately and answered with a voice that bordered between annoyed and alarmed, not knowing what had brought Hoist here on this hour.

"You know Petrie had nothing to do with this death! Even if me wanted, me couldn't have done something like that!" The mere fact that he was forced to defend himself about this incident caused deep outrage in the boy's mind. However, his internal alarm was only doubled as he heard his new "friend's" voice speak to him with clear ridicule.

"Of course you couldn't because you're far too stupid to succeed in something like that! Someone who follows me away from the other's eyes would have never come up with any plan that actually works!" The female flyer hit Petrie's back as she spoke, sending Petrie falling on the bare ground. The hit was far from painful but this development shocked him immensely. He couldn't even begin to process what had happened as he found himself lying on the ground. He quickly turned around and stuttered in a shocked and hurt voice.

"W… what? Petrie thought you wanted to pl… play with me!" The boy knew just how pathetic those words sounded but he couldn't just find any other words at this point. The girl had seemed completely genuine when she had first approached him but now she was a completely different person. Was… was he truly deceived this badly? The young flyer's expression turned into a more panicked one as the girl answered to him once again.

"And you believed me! You are every bit as annoying and stupid as Hoist told me!" The female turned to look at Hoist who returned the approving gaze to his friend. The male moved onto ensure that Petrie would have absolutely no chance to escape this time and nobody would be there to help him.

"This time Glide won't appear out of nowhere, outsider! Prepare for a good lesson this time around! You may consider our coming race the "playing" you were so eager for!" Something concerning flashed in Hoist's eyes as he suddenly announced at least some part of his plan. Petrie quickly turned to look at him in a mixture of surprise and fear. After a second, he started to stutter in disbelief, not knowing what to make out of the other boy's words.

"A… a race? But why you want to do that?" The brown flyer asked, cocking his head nervously to his right side. Eleria suddenly answered to the question in clear mockery, further deepening Petrie's concerns.

"That doesn't belong to you! And if I were you, I'd start to prepare for that challenge! It isn't like you have any options!" The female's voice didn't calm down Petrie's mind any but he realized now he didn't have a choice. Hoist started to explain his plans after Petrie had turned to look back at him.

"I just want to see how pitiful Glide has to be if she lost to a moron like you! I'll never let her forget it… But before that, we will fly to the highest tree of this forest that way! You have seen it, haven't you?" Hoist's voice turned into a considerably friendlier one as he presented his proposition. Petrie gulped as he thought about the larger male's words. Actually, now that he thought about it, Petrie remembered what Hoist meant: there had been a giant tree sticking out of the woods' canopy like a longneck's head. Petrie still didn't know what to make out of his situation but he realized he didn't have a choice here. With a nervous smile-like expression, he answered.

"Oh, Petrie remember it! Me think me can find the way there, too! Is that all?" Petrie wanted nothing more than to get over this terrible surprise, no matter what. Hoist's expression stayed surprisingly neutral as he answered to Petrie's announcement.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's begin! We'll go when I count to five!" This sudden, odd challenge puzzled Petrie's already taxed mind but if this was all Hoist had in mind, he had to consider himself lucky if he survived without any worse beating. He listened with deep concentration as Hoist counted.

"… three, four, five!" The two flyers flushed to the air, Hoist once again surprising his opponent by not trying to hinder his start with any tricks. Petrie was even deeply surprised that he could stay completely on Hoist's heels and with a few tricks, there would even be a chance he'd be able to win this challenge! The trees only flashed around the two flyers as Petrie did his best to find the fastest ways to bypass the trees without sacrificing any of his speed. Their goal was approaching quickly: it would hardly be a minute before they'd reach it. However, it was at this point when Petrie saw something that caused him to frown. Two extremely thick and large trees surrounded by sizable cliffs. The flyer knew immediately he'd have to fly through it and apparently Hoist had the same idea. The slightly smaller flyer looked with some puzzlement as he saw Hoist taking a quick turn upwards, his speed suffering greatly in the process. Petrie couldn't tell about Hoist's plans… until it was too late.

As the flyer approached the trees, he could suddenly see ever so narrow, ever so vague threads dotting the opening, apparently tied to it by another dinosaur. They were just thick enough to catch him off-balance and Petrie no longer had time to halt his rapid advance. His desperate attempts to slow down were cut short by an impact against the mix of branches, lianas and other hindrances and the flyer, his body aching with the impact, was sent rolling into the ground before him. However, as he soon realized, it wasn't just any ground. It was covered with disgusting-smelling, extremely thick goo that soon covered every inch of his body. However, the aching and the smell were only the beginning of his woes.

"And Glide lost to this idiot? He cannot even fly in a straight line without falling! He looks much more like himself, covered in that crap, don't you think, Eleria?" The two flyers quickly landed near Petrie, looks of triumph evident in their faces. The girl answered to her friend while still continuing to look at Petrie.

"I can't believe any of our leaders thought this worthless twit could ever join us! There are many spineless, gullible weaklings here but this one exceeds them all! Nice flying, Petrie!" The female bowed to look at the poor flyer who struggled to find any words to say. Only feelings of utter humiliation and sorrow filled his mind as he realized what had come to pass. Once again, he had been tricked, his usual tendency to trust others once again used against him. And soon he would be forced to pay for his mistake, no matter how innocent his intentions originally were. Petrie tried to come up with something to say but he knew it would all be for nothing. The young flyer's last desperate attempt to stop the inevitable were far from successful.

"Please, me promise Petrie not tell anyone! Can… can we just not forget all of this?" The boy said as he looked at Eleria climb a bit higher to a nearby hill and before long, Petrie could feel additional ordeal upon him as a barrage of ice cold water fell upon his body. The female had removed a small set of rocks blocking a tiny stream but the gathered mass of water was enough to cause a major wave fall on Petrie. Hoist silently started moving closer to Petrie who looked at his two tormentors with increasingly moist eyes and growing panic.

"I don't think this is a day you'll forget, Petrie. We promise you that." Hoist said as he hit Petrie's leg with his own, causing Petrie to scream in pain. Eleria soon moved to grab the boy's hands and hold him still while Hoist moved on to proceed with his despicable deed. As he looked at the duo's expressions, Petrie realized his ordeal had only just began.

* * *

The whole gathering was becoming a chore for Pterano who couldn't help but feel that Peak's search would never yield any results. He had spent a long time looking at the flyers around him, trying to see any suspicious behavior but seemingly for naught. Everyone around him seemed more than preoccupied with the search to plan anything funny. Still, the brownish flyer knew the killer was near him and he'd… but what is that?

The corner of Pterano's saw two flyers whispering to each other, one's hand painted in red, possibly blood, and his face holding a clearly guilty expression. Pterano immediately turned to look at the duo and instinctually, he could see there was no other probable explanation for the sight than the fact that the red-handed dinosaur was the murderer. Sure, Lenel had ordered him just to oversee that nothing bad was happening but here he had a chance to end this charade once and for all. He suddenly started to run towards the two and suddenly, without a warning, he grabbed the red-handed flyer's wrist and spoke to him with clear determination in his voice.

"What is this? A bloody hand and suspicious plotting? I'd say I found what everyone was looking for." A slight smile crept to Pterano's mind as he enjoyed his moment of triumph. The other flyer looked at him in shock until his companion retorted to Pterano's accusation.

"Is this a joke, Pterano? Can't you see that his hand has a deep cut to it! It isn't the blood of Peak's cousin!" His voice hissed in annoyance, not amused in the least by the other flyer's appearance. Pterano, however, wasn't moved in the least by his words and he quickly waved one of Peak's followers to him. The flyer came but he was clearly annoyed by this interruption. He asked the obvious question soon after he joined the trio.

"What is it, Pterano? You better not waste my time on a day like this." The male's voice was dry and enraged by the never-ending search and he was far from amused by this interruption. Pterano saw this but he answered with enthusiasm.

"Can't you see that this flyer here has bloody hands? I caught him whispering with him, apparently planning to escape before we catch him." The brownish dinosaur was already trying to add more details to his story in order to make sure the other flyer believed him. However, this was far from what came to pass.

"Stay away from this, idiot! Can't you see that this flyer's claws are too short to kill anyone quickly enough and additionally, his feet don't resemble those of the killer's in the least and he has a wound which explains the blood! Let him go and stay away from this!" The other flyer turned his back and left Pterano stunned and humiliated looking at the dinosaur he had blamed without a reason. A forced, awkward smile rose to his cheeks as he looked at the male's claws. They indeed were incapable of taking down anyone. Pterano knew he had messed up big time and he spoke to the other dinosaur before he left.

"My apologies for this mistake. Please forgive me for it." The brownish flyer then went his own way, willing to wash the sight of the duo from his mind's eye and the memory of this shameful display into the past.

* * *

Deep displeasure could be read from Nimble's face as she looked at Peak's family and two followers interrogating and investigating a host of other flyers who were apparently in some way under their suspicions. Peak himself had to oversee this operation even if he would have wanted nothing more to join the search. However, any sensible flyer would understand that such physical threats and useless clues would get anyone anywhere.

Nimble turned to look at Peak who was standing near her on a small hill, allowing him to oversee the search. The female flyer knew full well why he had ordered this kind of response to the murder and she was far from pleased with his approach. If someone was willing to go as far as to kill another flyer, he or she had most likely hidden their trail well and interrogating that traitor wouldn't bring any results. Nimble eagerly wanted to get over this issue over with but Peak's shortsighted strategy upset her greatly despite her usual calm demeanor. She quickly walked to Peak and spoke to him with a hissing and angered voice.

"I know this loss is a hard one for you, Peak, but you cannot order the whole herd to be harassed like this! Call your followers back and stop this ridiculous hunt!" Nimble said quickly, somewhat surprising the other flyer, However, Peak's answer was far from approving as he turned to look at the somewhat dark-colored dinosaur.

"And let the killer get away with this? I don't care which methods we will have to use but I won't let our herd to sink into fearful, chaotic mess because we can't catch those who'd hurt our companions! This is something we have to do, Nimble, and you know it as well as I do!" The orange flyer said as his allies continued to move among the crowd, attacking anyone who they deemed suspicious. The only thing that kept the other flyers calm was their trust and respect in Peak's decisions. Nimble frowned at those words as she regretted deeply that the other leader, who was usually renowned for his wisdom and just decisions, wasn't thinking rationally. She raised her voice somewhat and took a much sharper look as she retorted Peak's claim.

"I do know it but we'll never get anywhere unless we aren't think about this logically! We have to try to know who we are chasing if we are to even have a slight hope of ever catching the culprit! Just calm down and start to see things from other points of view than through your own hate! We need Longcrest's help, now!" Nimble said, the conversation slowly beginning to catch the attention of Nira and Lenel as well. Longcrest was an unbelievably gifted tracker who could help greatly but Nimble knew getting Peak to accept it would be difficult as Longcrest was her close friend and follower. Seeing that the debate was heating up, Lenel started to approach the duo when Peak's enraged cry rang through the field.

"My own hate? I have every right to demand for that bastard's death and none of you are going to stand in my way! We know that my cousin's throat was sliced open and that someone in this herd declared war against my family! As far as I know, it could even be one of you! And if you want to get that fool involved to all of this, forget it! I'll finish this search myself!" Peak yelled, his expression hardened with deep rage but his voice revealed the depth of the hurt the flyer was experiencing. However, mere emotions wouldn't get him far. Lenel's voice suddenly rang behind them, sounding far calmer than the other two leaders. He was rising to the hill the two were standing as he outlined his vision of the best course of action.

"That's enough, Peak! You cannot begin to begin to blame us for something like this! And what comes to your plan, can't you see it isn't working! At this rate, this day will be remembered only of our failure to do our duty!" The light-colored flyer said as he turned to face the other male who looked at Lenel and Nimble with growing frustration. He was doing what he thought was right and these two, who had nothing to do with his tragedy, were here telling him what to do, as if their course of action was the correct one! He was about to answer when Nimble interrupted him.

"Exactly! Try to see reason, Peak! We only want what's best for all of us, not to mock or order you around! We'll help you to…" Those words were a mistake which only fed Peak's rage. He had never trusted the other leader's loyalty to the herd in the first place and their eagerness to trespass into his family's issues weren't helping. He suddenly raised his voice and cried with a loud voice.

"I won't allow such things! This is my personal issue alone and that's final! We may lead this herd together but this thing doesn't concern you!" Peak's mind was being clouded with hate which certainly wasn't lessened as he heard Nira's voice speak to him.

"Snap out of it! You know this concerns all of us! We…" This comment was being shouted over by a response from Peak which in turn was countered by Nira who joined her peers soon after Lenel. Suddenly, none of the four didn't seem to even hear their own words. For the first time in many Cold Times, the leaders' discussion descended into a full-blown accusation and shouting contest.

* * *

Increasing desperation was filling Ortin's mind as he followed his second cousin's fight with his peers, all of them seemingly forgetting the real issue at hand. The boy was sitting on a rock not too far from the four even if he wouldn't have minded missing this display completely. Everything around the poor flyer seemed blurred and unreal, the voices around him melting into an unintelligible mess and his line of sight consisting of his own knees against which his head was lying. The only thing that seemed to fill his broken world was the powerful, crushing pain inside him and the slowly but surely easing cry that had never stopped since the terrible morning. At first, the knowledge that that his dad's killer would be brought to justice had brought him some reprieve but those hopes were increasingly swept away by increasing cynicism as he followed the debate on the hills.

As Ortin slowly raised his head in an effort to ease the agony inside him but even that only made him feel more miserable. His grandmother and the rest of his family were all doing Peak's bidding, all of them paying all of their attention only to the head of their extended family, finally making Ortin realize another terrifying fact about what he had lost. In a way, only his dad had acknowledged him as he was, most other members of his lineage only doing their best to get closer to Peak or to get to know his children better. He, on the other hand, had seemed to be of little interest to anyone due to the fact that he was only Peak's cousin's son. That thought only flooded the young boy's mind with more bitterness and the only thought in his anxious mind was to find an explanation to all this. _Why did this have to happen!? N.. now I'm all alone and I have nobody to turn to! D… dad, please come back! Tell me that this is just a terrible sleep story! Please, I beg you… someone, anyone…_

"I don't care about your stupid relative in the least at this point! The killer can be far away from here by now!"

Ortin's desperate thoughts were interrupted by a loud call from Nira, an unusually direct attack against a fellow leader's family. This cry was the straw that finally broke the last remains of Ortin's patience. The female was mocking his father which was more than enough to raise the child's bitterness but he was also mad at Peak who had seemed to abandon the goal of finding the killer in order to begin a fight with the others. Nobody cared about his father or about what was right at this point. The young flyer quickly rose up from his rock and headed towards the woods, unable to take the oppressing atmosphere and the endless mockery of his father anymore. If nobody else cared about him, he might as well stay away from their sight for now.

* * *

Shocked tears of pain and humiliation flowed from Petrie's eyes as he tried to come to terms about the terrifying incident. How could he have been so naïve as to follow Eleria to the forest like this, completely trusting her at first glance? Petrie sat there in deep shock, the young flyer feeling completely worthless and humiliated by Hoist's appearance and the way he beat him in the brief and dishonest flying race but it and the following beating had seemed to shatter something in Petrie's already wobbly confidence. How could he tell anyone that he had been proven to be a naïve, stupid and pathetic weakling Hoist had said he was from the very beginning? Maybe… maybe he was right, maybe Petrie had no part in the herd.

The young flyer rose up from the ground, his mind completely numb of anything but hate and fear. Aside from his newfound self-pity, Hoist's appearance had started to stir something within the boy's mind, something he hadn't felt before: a personal, deep hate against the flyer who had forced him to go through this torture. In the back of his mind, Petrie tried to hold on to his natural sympathy and understanding against others. Petrie had tried to understand even Hyp and his friends to some degree but they had never attacked him this directly or hurt him this severely. Also back then, he had had his friends to support him but now it was harder for him to see the light in his situation. Sure, he had his uncle but it just wasn't the same. Without Littlefoot's endless optimism and comfort and Ducky's ever-joyful and reassuring words, he just wasn't the same flyer he had been back then. The mere thought of Ducky took the boy back into his last conversation with the most likely late swimmer, causing another wave of self-pity flow on him. At this point, he couldn't even begin to understand what had caused him to try to preach anything to his best friend, only upsetting her further. Petrie shook his head in despair as he slowly rose up from the ground and raised his gaze to the canopy of the forest and the endless void before it. Petrie's eyes bored into the blue as his mind bid one, last apology to his long-lost friend and all the happy times they had gone through together.

 _Petrie is so sorry, Ducky. Me never should have tried to make you so upset. Me… me just hope that wherever you are, there… there aren't any stupid jerks like Petrie!_

Those thoughts hurt him very deeply. This was the first time he had fallen so low into self-hate but the flyer realized he had to begin moving to get his thoughts to the point where he could begin the process of regaining his composure. With weary and beaten steps, Petrie started to scrap the now-dried mud from his wings and face. Without a doubt, he'd be back before anybody could even miss him as at this point, Petrie felt that not even his uncle needed him. Only the calming voices of the buzzers and scaly swimmers in the small streams broke the monotony of Petrie's forced inhaling and frequent sighs. Even the warming rays of the Bright Circle meant little to the flyer whose head drooped between his shoulders.

After many minutes of walking, he heard something that for the first time since Hoist's disappearance caught his attention. Somewhere within the woods could be heard slight sobbing and that took Petrie's attention momentarily away from his woes. If nothing else, the other child didn't seem to be in much better spirits than he was. Only after a few moments, Petrie caught the sighting of the flyer in question, his identity catching him by slight surprise.

 _Ortin? What is he doing here? What's wrong with him? Per… perhaps me should go ask him?_

The flyer's mood hardly was suitable to try to cheer Ortin up but at least he could try to see what was the problem with the other dinosaur and see if there was anything they could do to help each other. With forced and nervous steps, Petrie moved closer to the rock Ortin was sitting on and with an even surprisingly downtrodden, beaten voice he opened the discussion.

"H… hi, Ortin. Wh… what you doing here?"

* * *

The voice took Ortin off-guard as he hadn't expected anyone to find him here. He turned his head to look at the newcomer and he was surprised to see who the newcomer was. What would bring Petrie here? The two barely knew each other and it was beyond weird that he'd come here to meet him at a moment like this. However, as the other flyer drew closer, he could see some weird and concerning details in Petrie he hadn't noticed right away. The other boy was mostly covered in smelly goo and wherever it had been removed could be seen small cuts that seemed quite painful. In addition to them, Petrie's eyes were still red from obvious crying. However, all of that made little impact on Ortin whose own mind was too blurred by grief to care about Petrie's woes. However, he answered to Petrie's question with an equally downtrodden voice.

"Oh, hi again, Petrie. I came here to just take a pause from that crap the grown-ups are throwing against dad. I… I could no longer take it. What happened to you?" Ortin looked at the other boy from the corner of his eye, most of his attention still concentrated in all his memories about his father. Petrie seemed rather puzzled by his answer and he also let it show in his next words.

"Petrie… Petrie met Hoist… and his friend but me not want to speak about it. But… why they speaking bad things about your dad? What happen to him?" Petrie asked these questions in good will, knowing nothing about the identity of Ortin's father. However, that question was far from appreciated from the other young flyer who raised his voice slightly as he answered.

"What happened to him?! He was the one who was damn killed this morning! In case you didn't know, the whole herd is there gathered because of him! I should have known an outsider like you knows nothing about anything!" At this point, Ortin took his eyes away from Petrie and continued in a more silent and hurt voice. "I'm sorry for that. I was just carried away." Another tear formed in Ortin's eye as he turned his head towards a small belly slider moving away from him. Petrie's heart dropped a little as he heard the news. Had it really been Ortin's father who had died? Of all the flyers. Petrie's head dropped immediately as he heard the news, fully well knowing what he was going through. Suddenly his own problems seemed highly trivial. Petrie's voice was meek as he answered.

"Me so sorry, Ortin. Petrie not know it was your dad." There wasn't anything more he could say, was there? There was nothing that could undo the tragedy as the brown flyer very well knew. His own father had died before his own birth but his mother had never told him that story. However, that would have to wait until, or rather if, he'd rejoin his family ever again. However, his personal ramifications were stopped by Ortin's voice.

"Well, now you know. Peak and the others only care about their own name and at this rate we'll never know who killed my dad. But what does that even matter…. it wouldn't bring him back anyway. I don't even know what to do at this point." Ortin's voice sounded extremely tortured and it was a voice Petrie knew very well. It was the voice he had heard from Cera when she had heard that her mother hadn't made it to the Valley. However, he couldn't even begin to think how it actually felt. Even then, there was no reason not to try to utilize his own experiences to approach the other distressed boy.

"Me never knew me dad. He already gone the day Petrie hatched. It's terrifying how usual it actually is. Me once had a group of friends and all of them had at least one parent who… who was no longer there. Petrie so sorry these things happen but… perhaps it be easier for me as me dad was never there." The brown flyer was far from certain if his approach was the correct one but it was the only way he could take in this discussion. He followed the evolution of Ortin's expression as the other flyer raised his head slightly.

"I've heard such stories too but itdoesn't really help **.** Also, Petrie **…** I thought you were living with your family on some desert?Were the other flyers there too?" Ortin asked with some puzzlement, remembering Petrie's story on the preceding day. The boy knew that few children survived to adulthood with both of their parents alive but now he had lost them both. But according to Petrie's story, he wasn't in a much better situation anyway. Back when he had seen Petrie for the first time in the joining ceremony, he had thought of Petrie's loss as a distant, unrealistic event but here he was, in the very same situation as the other male was. Petrie looked at Ortin for a moment in puzzlement until he realized he had let out more of his past than he should have. With some stuttering, he tried to come up with something to say.

"Uhh… me friends lived far away from me home and me only met them a few times in a Cold Time. Those were good times playing Hide a… I mean trying to beat each other with great flying tricks!" Petrie cringed heavily as he realized he had slipped something that he hoped Ortin wouldn't have caught. Flyers didn't play Hide and Seek together and even the mere mentioning of it could raise Ortin's suspicions. It was already bad enough to try to lie about his friends, let alone come up with new lies at this point.

Ortin, on the other hand, kept a neutral face but Petrie's slip or his far from believable story brought some puzzlement to his mind. He could see that the other flyer was extremely distressed after the incident with Hoist but that wasn't enough of an excuse to forget about important details of one's past. Ortin decided not to press this issue further at this point but he was slowly coming to the conclusion that Petrie's backstory was far from the truth. He answered soon with a slightly less anxious voice but which still dipped with sorrow.

"We've also done that a lot with Glide and the others. It's not always been easy living here but there have been many days I would never trade away and I'm sure dad had many of them too. I… I just hope that he is happy looking over us out there, in the Great Beyond. It's just so hard to accept he's not coming back… but at least he was the greatest dad I could have asked for. I… I hope he has a great flight to the Great Beyond." Ortin said as his composure broke down once again as he thought about those words. Petrie's own eyes were also growing even if he had never met Ortin's father but he could see how much he meant to the other flyer. Petrie sat beside him and tried to come up with something Littlefoot had said not long after their arrival in the Valley. He couldn't recite it perfectly but none of their meaning had been lost to the flyer. It felt terrifying and heartbreaking that the longneck who had said those words back then was more than likely dead himself.

"I'm sure he has, Ortin. One of me friends once said to Petrie that he believes our loved ones are out there watching over us from those tiny lights in the sky. But more than that, they follow us in the winds all around us, begging us to know that we are home wherever we are just as long as we realize everything that matters is still with us. I don't know if that is true but Petrie like to think that me dad also be near me even if he can't be seen." The young flyer said as the sight of Littlefoot on that day returned to his mind. He couldn't even begin to think how dearly he missed the longneck but for a moment, he was grateful that Ortin was here beside him at this moment. The other flyer, however, didn't seem to be too accepting of his ideas. He snorted with some dismissal even if his face communicated no disapproval. However, he soon waved his head and answered.

"Peak has tried to tell me similar tales to yours but it just sounds so stupid. There's no reason to come up with such hopes. My dad's gone to wherever he has and he can't be there and here at the same time. Sorry, Petrie, but I just can't believe something like that. It's just not possible." Ortin said as he rose up from the rock with clearly disturbed gestures. He then turned to Petrie who was somewhat disappointed by Ortin's answer and spoke to him in an almost kind voice.

"But thanks for coming here, Petrie. I needed someone to talk to. See you sometime soon." The flyer tried to force a slight smile to his face even if it was still clear that he was mentally broken inside. Petrie was slightly disappointed by Ortin's dismissal of his words as, even if he didn't know it, Petrie couldn't help but feel the other flyer was insulting the memory of his friends. However, he also realized that despite his faults, Ortin was genuine in his interest to talk to the newcomer to the herd and there were no hidden thoughts in his mind. Trying to hide his chagrin, Petrie returned Ortin's smile as he felt the Bright Circle's light warm his back.

"You too, Ortin. Me look forward to seeing you again." The young flyer looked at the other boy disappearing to the woods as he knew better than well that he needed some time alone. Petrie was still shocked by the news of the other flyer's father's death but his own encounter with Hoist was slowly leaving his mind. On the positive side, Hoist had taught Petrie not to ever trust another dinosaur without careful consideration again. And, even if by accident, Hoist had helped him find his first friend since that terrible sand cloud.

Even if he didn't realize it itself, Petrie's beak turned slowly into a smile.

* * *

The orange flyer's thoughts were a flux of hateful thoughts as he looked at a group of flyers fly towards him and the other flyers, returning from a rip to investigate the site of the murder once again. Peak would have wanted to see this through by himself and it had been a long and difficult battle to force him to abandon that hope. He and his allies had investigated his cousin's corpse, of course, but Nimble in particular insisted that her flyers would be allowed there as well. She had tried to prove to the others that one of her followers in particular was a master in tracking and finding clues about hunts or sharpteeth and those attributes were likely to help in this situation, too. Peak had accepted her proposal after a long battle but not without his own allies making sure they weren't up for anything interesting. Peak spoke in a hate-filled voice as Nimble's best tracker landed before him.

"Well, did you find anything? Speak so we can get over this nonsense!" Peak gritted his teeth together as he spoke, knowing that further losing of his temper wouldn't be helpful. The other flyer was an extremely tall, deep-brown dinosaur whose expression radiated with cold self-confidence and his voice wasn't exactly friendly either but he knew better than to get into a fight with Peak.

"In addition to the way the wound was caused, there were countless other important things you missed, honored leader. For example, the killer's scent was clearly a male's and the way he walked told me that he was a rather elderly flyer. He walked a short distance to your cousin but he had planned his act well. There are certainly no witnesses to the murder." The brown flyer had an outstanding sense of smell for a leaf eating flyer and his somewhat hazy eyes saw just enough to confirm what his sniffer told him. However, his words seemed to bring little reprieve to Peak who hissed to him as an answer.

"Is that it? I put my trust in you and you still cannot tell me more!? I always knew this idea was doomed to fail!" The flyer dragged his eyes from the larger male, but he couldn't take a step until he continued almost stoically.

"I wouldn't say so. I believe I'll be able to tell from the way the culprit moves and by his scent who he is. Just remove all the others from that brainless crowd and I'll find you the killer soon enough!" As he concluded, the large male's voice suddenly turned to an angrier one even if it still refrained from any threat. Peak, however, had had enough. He waved his hand and spoke in a dismissing voice.

"I'm not going to put my trust on a flyer who doesn't hold any respect to me or my family. For all I know, you could just use this opportunity to get rid off some of your opponents and letting the real killer just get away. We will be…" At this point, a female voice interrupted him again, one that was beginning to get on Peak's nerves.

"We have to do this! There is nobody else here who can find the one who killed your cousin! You know this flyer and you've trusted him many times before!" Nimble spoke in a mixture of pleading and outrage. Peak turned to her to answer her when another, new voice spoke to him.

"She… she's right, Peak. Longcrest is the best tracker of all of us. We have to listen to him." The speaker was one of Peak's own followers and his face seemed completely genuine. No matter how much he'd want to dismiss it, in his heart the orange flyer knew he was right. Longcrest, despite serving first of all Nimble, had been an invaluable help in helping the herd avoid sharpteeth and finding their way through extreme weather and sure enough, Peak had grown to respect him greatly. The flyer's eyes circled on the other leaders and the mass of flyers in the field, who were slowly turning agitated, and realized the ramifications of staying stubborn. It would be a huge blow to his reputation among the herd and he would be seen as an unreasonable and paranoid fool. Even if the thought was still a painful one for him, Peak knew he had reached a situation where he had only one choice. He sighed and turned to Longcrest.

"Very well. I will order all females, children and younger males away from here and just tell me who are innocent and I'll do the rest. But I warn you: if I find later on you've lied or chosen wrong, I will make sure you will share my cousin's fate! Is that clear?" The orange male asked Longcrest who merely snorted before answering.

"More than clear, Peak. Just let me do my job." The large flyer's self-confident voice was beginning to get on the orange flyer's nerves but he decided against escalating the situation. After one, last disapproving look to him, Peak turned to the crowd and his words finally started to calm the situation down.

"Females, children and males who have seen less than thirty Cold Times may leave this field right now! All others, stay there!" The flyer looked at those flyers leaving the field and he couldn't help but feel that the reprieve to his problem would soon be at hand. Only a fraction of the earlier mass of dinosaurs stood there and he nodded to Longcrest to begin the final investigation. The remaining flyers gazed at Peak with nervous looks, apparently shocked to find themselves on the list of those who were suspected for the heinous crime. Longcrest moved to look at the group telling one flyer after another to leave the opening. The departing males were seemingly relieved by their clearance and those who remained seemed ever more distressed. However, Longcrest's sniffer and sharp wit guided his efforts to thin down the suspects and not a long time later, only four flyers were left standing on the line and Longcrest's search was interrupted momentarily. He thought about the best way to proceed and he soon asked one of the remaining dinosaurs a quick question.

"Where were you four hours ago? Speak!" Longcrest said, putting his face close to that of the elderly flyer's. The older male frowned deeply before he answered.

"I was trying to sleep with my mate far away from Peak or his cousin! Neither of us can sleep really well these days so she can confirm to you that I wasn't there sneaking on anyone at that time!" Those words made the larger dinosaur look at Peak with an asking look and he realized immediately what Longcrest meant. He whispered briefly to one of his allies who immediately took off to the skies. After a couple more questions, two more of the remaining suspects were freed from the interrogation. Longcrest looked at them with suspicious eyes. One of the two was a rather short, very old flyer with a blind eye while other one was quite a bit younger and normal-sized male. The older one of the two looked at the other flyer in a clearly agitated expression as Longcrest walked towards the two.

"I couldn't have done it if I wanted to. It is ridiculous to even think it was me!" His voice was hoarse but Longcrest could see his body wasn't quite as fragile as he wanted to show out. The younger flyer immediately protested to the old male's words.

"We've known each other for dozens of Cold Times, Longcrest! You can't really believe I could have done something like that!" He said with a voice that was bordering despair but the larger flyer's expression didn't change in the least. He was completely resolved to finish his task, no matter what. Even then, the situation was extremely complex and in essence, he was here to decide which was one of the two flyer would die. For a moment, his doubts about his own judgement were growing in his mind. He couldn't get to decide this issue… unless…

He suddenly grabbed he older dinosaur's hand and took a long look at it and he could see something that raised his interest. The hand was even unusually wrinkled, as if it had been washed in water for a long time. The younger one's hands, on the other hand, were as smooth as could be expected from a flyer his age. The situation was finally becoming clear as Longcrest spoke to the older suspect.

"Why have you washed your hands this frantically early on the morning?" The question was meant to be rhetoric and both of the dinosaurs knew it had no satisfactory answer. The elderly flyer stuttered for a moment as he tried to answer.

"I was trying to eat a large, rotten berry in the woods which broke down in my hands. The smell didn't leave me quickly." The voice, despite its wavering tone, was surprisingly calm even if the words themselves raised deep suspicion within Longcrest. He asked another question which he knew would reveal the truth.

"Where did you find that berry and what kind was it?" Longcrest knew the woods better than most and he could tell whether the old male could actually make a believable answer. He thought for a moment before he answered.

"It was near the giant tree, on a small opening ar…" His words were stopped by the interrogator as Longcrest realized he had found what he was looking for.

"There are no openings around it! I knew an old fool like you doesn't know this plateau well enough to lie to me! Peak, here he is!" The large flyer yelled as he waved his hand to call the higher-ranked flyer to the scene. The elderly male was clearly growing fearful but he realized he couldn't escape at this point. The best chance he had was to hope Peak believed him. The orange flyer quickly flew to the scene, his eyes stunned by the dinosaur who met his eyes. He quickly turned to Longcrest and spoke to him in disbelief.

"What is this? Do you seriously suggest this decrepit dinosaur did it? Are you insane?" Peak was extremely disturbed by this revelation but he could see the growing acceptance in the geriatric flyer's eyes. Longcrest answered in his usual cold voice.

"There is no doubt about it. He's the one. What you choose to do with him is up to you." The large male turned his back on Peak and started to walk away. The higher-ranked flyer was more than happy to see him leave and he quickly turned to the accused dinosaur. Peak raised his other eyebrow as he spoke.

"Is there anything you can say to defend yourself? You know what happens if I don't believe your excuses?" The leader had excepted some kind of attempt from the other male to save himself and he was stunned to hear the answer. It was a mix of bitterness and determination and any hope of survival had apparently been drained from the culprit.

"I don't care about your threats, Peak. I murdered your cousin because I had always found him unworthy to help you in leading us. He was arrogant, weak and he always tried to eat away at your peers' power! He was a danger to the herd's stability!" The old male spoke in a hissing voice, causing the other flyer to hit him in deep outrage. The elderly dinosaur fell to the ground as he heard Peak answer to his words.

"I won't hear you mocking him! He was a far better person than any of the traitors like you will ever be! Tell me who sent you and I'll make it quick!" The orange flyer put his right leg to the fallen elderly male's neck. To Peak's puzzlement, his enemy's eyes seemed completely serene and absolutely no signs of remorse or fear could be read in them.

"Do what you want but nobody sent me. I decided to act to save the others from a coming conflict inside our herd. Your family will bring ruin to us all." At this point, his words were interrupted as Peak pressed his throat more forcefully against the ground and with a quick, powerful hit, the higher-ranked dinosaur cut the murderer's throat open, ending his struggles immediately. Peak lamented he had to let him go this easily but any brutal display wouldn't have given him any sympathies at this point. He turned to his two followers and hissed to them in outrage.

"Get rid of this scum immediately and make sure his name will be forgotten for good. After that, prepare for departure to Streli's Hills." Peak said to them as he left to gather his thoughts. For the sake of the herd, he'd have to accept that the old flyer had worked alone but a clear, bothering fear lingered in the male's mind. There was a chance that someone, perhaps even one of his fellow leaders, might have ordered this murder to weaken him and his family. Peak cast one last look behind him, knowing that the crisis could still be on. No matter what, he'd ensure that the next possible attack wouldn't come as a surprise.

* * *

 **The murderer has been found and neutralized and the herd is finally preparing for their long flight. However, are the flyers now safe or are there, as Peak suspects, more potential killers and mutineers among the herd? And will Petrie's mental wounds start to heal with Ortin's newfound friendship or will his situation only grow more miserable? A lot happened in this installment and I hope you found it intriguing! Thank you for reading and see you next time!**

 **The Rhombus: I'm happy you found the last chapter successful. I was fearing if it had too much violence in it but that chapter without a doubt raised the stakes to unprecedented levels for the fast runner. However, her situation isn't as clear as it seems but that's better left for the next chapter... let's just say that it has much to do with Greentail and her injury.**


	20. A Nightmarish Awakening

**A Nightmarish Awakening**

The entire situation turned into a horrifying mess the moment the greenish thinclaw collapsed to the ground. Yarel lost the rest of his composure as he tried to make sure his sister still lived while Ruby did her absolute best to help him in trying to finally end the bleeding in her head. Greentail was completely covered in her own blood and Yarel sobbed uncontrollably as he prepared to hear her heart's very last beat and a similar sentiment was apparent in the fast runner's eyes. Her blood loss was massive and any recovery at this point would be a miracle. However, the seconds passed on slowly but Greentail still breathed. Her clinging to life gave Yarel the strength he needed to go on with the little treatment he could offer and after what seemed like an eternity, Yarel whispered in a barely audible voice.

"It's over, Ruby. Her head has stopped bleeding but… I fear it's not enough." Yarel's voice was haunted and they were hindered by tears of fear and sorrow. However, his voice also carried the slightest of bitter tones which wasn't lost on Ruby. Still, the fast runner decided to ignore it as she, too, was completely broken by Greentail's horrifying injury. Most of her head was now covered with the drying leaves which were painted completely red and her face held a pained look to it. But Yarel was right: the blood leaving Greentai's body was only minimal at this point even if it promised little in regards to the thinclaw's survival.

"We can only hope. I never thought she'd be alive anymore but it seems she's stronger than most I have known. B… but I have a bad feeling, a bad feeling I have. Mom once told me that hits to the head are the worst ones of all. They leave too easily… injuries that will probably never heal." Ruby said in a faraway voice as she turned to look at Yarel whose eyes was locked on his sister's face. Her parents had always made sure when Ruby or one of her siblings had hurt themselves in games that no harm had come to their heads and Greentail's hit had been truly a horrifying one. The mere thought of it made her stomach turn upside down.

"I know. Why did we have to come to this stupid search in the first place! It's all my fault! Greentail would still be fine if it weren't for me!" Yarel leaned on the wall as he started to sob at the new thought that had come to his mind. It was he who had insisted to accompany Ruby on this journey and if he had listened to Greentail back then, the two would still be safe and sound. Ruby looked at him in sympathy, full well knowing the damage your own mistakes can cause. But even then, Ruby couldn't help but feel that she was also to blame for Greentail's condition. This was her quest after all and Greentail had come to help her find her parents.

"It's also my fault, Yarel. We all many choices which led us here and believe me, I'd take each and every one of them back if I only could. The sharpteeth were after me for a reason because it was because of my mistake that Chomper died! So many have died because of me! And now my family is also in danger because I survived this night!" Ruby suddenly said, thinking of his friends, the poor clubtail who Chomper had killed in the Valley as well as well the terribly injured Greentail before her. But the sudden remembrance of Dein's threat suddenly flooded back into her mind. Dein would have to try to help Terri recover at first but after that, they'd go after her family. She had only begun to think about her situation when Yarel turned to look at her and said in a stunningly bitter voice.

"Then go to your parents. Surely it's much more valuable to you and we are. Go save your family if that's what you want!" Yarel knew he was being unreasonable but the thought that Ruby would just bring his sister to this situation and then just leave was an outrageous one for him. He knew Ruby was rightfully worried for her family but in the case she left, he would be left alone to care for Greentail and if even one fastbiter happened to find him, he would have no choice but to abandon Greentail which wasn't something he was going to do. More than likely, her departure would be a death sentence for both him and his sister.

Ruby, on the other hand, frowned at his words, completely stunned by his hostile words. Her mind had already wandered to the last moments of her family if Chomper's parents ever reached them and it took a moment for her to realize Yarel's situation. Without his sister, he would be alone and defenseless and left with the memory how she ruined Greentail and then vanished into thin air. But… he couldn't stay here! Dein and Terri were on a quest to slaughter her family right now! Certainly, there was only one correct choice here… or was there another one?

The fast runner's thoughts seemed to halt immediately as Greentail's motionless, damaged body lie before her and her grief-stricken brother beside her, not knowing how he would survive without his beloved sibling. And this heartbreaking sight had happened because of her. With a sickened realization, Ruby realized her mind had already been made up. After all that had happened, leaving the two first two dinosaurs who had decided to help her, even risk their lives for her, to a certain death would be a deed she'd never forgive herself for. Yarel needed her help and deep down, Ruby knew her parents were extremely cunning and wise fast runners when it came to their survival. The girl decided to trust them with this charge, even if she knew more than well that it could easily be just another continuation to her seemingly endless list of fatal failures. Even then, her conscience wouldn't allow her to choose the other alternative.

 _Mom and dad, just keep our family safe. I'll return to you once everything is well again. Just keep Chomper's parents away long enough._

And with a long sigh, Ruby finally answered to Yarel even if those words wavered considerably. The fast runner felt like her own voice was somewhere far, far away when they emerged from her mouth.

"Actually, Yarel, I'm not going to them just yet, just yet to them I won't go. I just can't leave you two here after all you did for me." Yarel had once turned away from her sister when he heard Ruby's answer. Immediately his eyes widened with those words, the boy already being resigned to the thought that Ruby would leave him and Greentail to help her own family. To hear those thoughts debunked amazed the male considerably even if he still held the slight decree of bitterness towards the fast runner.

"What? Are you serious? B… but every dinosaur has to care for themselves and their own love ones first! You'd be insane to stay here with us!" Yarel stuttered in disbelief, a slight spark of hope beginning to grow within his heart as the silvery glow of the Night Circle washed his face as the branches of a nearby tree flushed away and back in the song of the night wind. Ruby took a few steps towards Yarel and took a forced smile intended to signal Yarel that she meant what she said.

"Being insane would be the smallest of my faults, Yarel. I can't just leave you two here after you came back just to save me from certain death, even at the risk of something like this. Let's just say that I owe you that much. Also, my parents should be able to keep our family safe for some time." The fast runner's face was apologetic but it held clear honesty which finally convinced Yarel of her willingness to help him in this terrible hour. He took a more serious face, wholeheartedly welcoming Ruby's help but he slowly begun to realize the large amount of blood could easily lure fast biters this way. He rose back to his legs and spoke to Ruby in a voice which was a mixture between endless relief and intensifying fear.

"Thank you, Ruby. I'm… I'm sorry about what I said earlier but… we're not safe here. We need to find a place where we can take Greentail and to wash the blood away. It will surely draw other sharpteeth our way." The boy's earlier friendly composure was returning but it was clearly just a side effect of his overall slow but steady regaining of his senses after the terrible shock. Ruby looked at him in alarm, only realizing now that the danger they were in was more than concrete. Quickly, after Yarel's words, Ruby answered to him with a disturbed voice.

"You're right. I almost forgot that Dein and Terri aren't the only sharpteeth around here! Wait here, I'll go look if I can find some cave or other place where Greentail can rest and we also need some water to get rid of the blood." Ruby proposed but Yarel objected to it quickly. He felt like he need to do it himself as a favor to his sister and he spoke to Ruby briefly.

"I'll do that, Ruby. She's my sister after all and it's best if I take care of her. I…" The male was about to continue when Ruby interrupted him carefully. The fast runner understood the boy's sentiment but Greentail needed him by her side. This was a charge Ruby was determined to take.

"No, Yarel. I'm sure Greentail would want you to be here in… in case the worst happens. We met only yesterday and you can take care of her far better than I ever could. I'll be back as soon as I can." Ruby tried to reason to Yarel who was about to protest but almost immediately, he realized the depth of Ruby's words. Even if neither of the half teeth wanted to admit it, Greentail was still on death's door. If she passed away while he was adventuring away from her… Yarel didn't know whether he'd ever be able to forgive himself. The boy turned to look at Ruby and whispered carefully.

"Very well, Ruby. I'll make sure to look after her. Try to find a place where she can try to recover in peace." Yarel said mournfully when he sat to the rocky ground near his sister who had started to pale slightly but it was most likely due to her blood loss. Ruby looked at the beaten thinclaw with an apologetic look and answered to him briefly.

"I'll come back as soon as I can. Stay safe, Yarel." And with those words, Ruby started her sprint and in a matter of seconds, she disappeared into the nearby woods, leaving Yarel alone with his sister. After a moment, he rose up and moved to put Greentail into a more comfortable position as opposed to the awkward angle she had fallen to when she had lost her consciousness. After Greentail had been put to a position in which she looked like she was sleeping, Yarel returned to his previous spot, praying that Ruby would return shortly.

* * *

The terrain quickly turned dryer and less hospitable the further away the omnivore got from the river valley. The immediate outskirts of the mighty hills were still green but even fifteen longneck lengths from them started the seemingly never-ending, wind-swept wastes which characterized the Mysterious Beyond. If there was some kind of spot where Greentail could rest, it had to be close to the mountains, Ruby figured.

The fast runner couldn't help but think about Greentail's situation. She didn't quite understand how or why but her parents had told her that hits to the head, even if they seemed to heal, easily changed people forever or limited their abilities. Her parents hadn't explained why it was like that as even they didn't know but that mattered little at this point. The thought that Greentail, if she even survived at all, would wake up as a maimed or mentally changed dinosaur than she or Yarel had known only a short time earlier seemed to horrify Ruby beyond measure. Even if she seemed to survive the injury, inside her head could be born a totally different Greentail than before.

The wind made Ruby shiver as the cold masses of air charged through the plains into the tiny oasis of green in the middle of the cold plains. Ruby was walking just under the imposing rocks, keeping a sharp eye in case a hospitable cave appeared from somewhere. However, none came into her sight and she and Yarel wouldn't be able to carry Greentail too far by themselves. Their sanctuary would have to lie somewhere near the narrow pass and Ruby was more than determined to find it. She owed it to both of the thinclaws after all that they had done for her. Also, if Greentail didn't survive, her gambit with not going to find her family could backfire terribly. If both the female thinclaw and her family would be lost because of her decision, Ruby didn't know if she could carry on in this world anymore. But she would have to live one day at a time. For now, the only thing that mattered now was to survive this terrible night with she and her companions all alive.

After a while of searching, distant, silvery glitters caught Ruby's eye. It was like a white sky color stone buried in the middle of the forest and there was only one thing that it could be. Excitedly but carefully, Ruby moved towards it and after a few moments, her initial hopes were proven correct. A small lake opened in the middle of the dying bushes even if it was still somewhat well hidden by the dense groupings of trees around it. Ruby ran towards it quickly, hoping dearly that some kind of sheltered refuge would show itself around it. The ground was surprisingly hilly and after a moment, the fast runner found something that raised her interest quickly. it was a depression between two high mounds, safe from the worst of winds coming from the wastes and hidden from the eyes of most predators. It wasn't the cave she had hoped for but it was better than nothing and it lied close enough to the lake. All that remained was to get Greentail here without…

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a sudden screech from somewhere around and almost immediately, she spotted a group of flyer heading down to some place beyond the horizon, most likely moving to devour the remains of some poor dinosaur who hadn't had the strength to survive the long march to this valley. However, that poor fellow's tragedy brought some relief came to the fast runner as she realized it wasn't another walking sharptooth heading for her. After carefully memorizing her position, Ruby darted back towards Yarel, preparing to tell him of her findings. She could only hope her search hadn't been for nothing.

* * *

The seconds seemed to stretch on forever as Yarel followed his sister's pulse and breathing. There had been no developments in either direction which was probably a good thing but he couldn't help but shake the feeling that Greentail's each gasp for air could be her last. He had never experienced a situation like this, facing a possibility where he could be left alone in this world. All his life his sister had been there to help him and he didn't have the slightest of ideas what he'd do should the worst come to pass. Sure, he was grateful to Ruby for deciding to stick with him but the fast runner was far from the dominant thought in his head. He bowed to his sister's unmoving form and whispered silently to her ear, full well knowing that she didn't hear him at this point.

"You can go through this, Greentail. I know it. Remember all the things we once dreamt of doing when we were still back home… to see the dancing lights in the distant north, to one day taste what a giant swimmer would taste like… to perhaps even lead a family of our own some day. Please… please, wake up!"

Yarel almost teared up himself but the precious memories of his childhood brought him some comfort. Greentail was still alive and as long as she lived, there was hope that kept him from losing hope. Ruby would return soon enough and everything would be well again once the Bright Circle reached its zenith in the coming day. Luckily, no sharpteeth had made their presence known at this point even if the normal serene and violent voices of nature swirled all around him.

After a while which felt like eternity, quickly strengthening steps begun to approach him. Yarel's gaze rose from the ground and to his relief, Ruby ran towards him with a clearly cheerful expression. Her voice mirrored her face as she stopped near the boy, panting slightly from her quick sprint.

"I… I have good news, Yarel! There is a safe spot not far from here where Greentail can stay until she feels better! There is even a small pond nearby, a small pond there is!" The fast runner said to Yarel's who let out a deep sigh of relief he hadn't realized he was keeping. He quickly rose to his feet and answered with a similarly glad voice.

"Thank you so much, Ruby! She… she is doing as well as we can expect at this point, I guess. She still lives… but what about you? Did you see any sharpteeth around there? Are there anything we should be worried about?" He asked the obvious question, not wanting to face another hunt on the same day. Ruby shook her head and answered to him quickly.

"I saw no sharpteeth or anything else we should worry about. Of course, we cannot know what can come from the wastes but then again, there are always things we cannot know about. But let's go, it shouldn't take us long to get Greentail there!" Ruby said to Yarel who felt slightly awkward at the prospect of carrying his unconscious sister but it was the only way to get her to safety. With a determined look, he grabbed Greentail's shoulders while Ruby took a firm grasp of her legs. Yarel looked at the fast runner and affirmed the obvious thing.

"Are you ready? Remember to be careful." Yarel bit his lips as he received Ruby's answer. Hopefully the trip wouldn't take too long as even the slightest of ordeals could prove dangerous at this point. The two friends carefully raised Greentail to the air and resumed their trek to the slightly downwards path toward the direction Ruby had pointed towards. The fast runner looked carefully at her steps, willing to see this charge to the end without any surprises. After a few moments, the terrain turned into a softer but also more treacherous one. The two omnivores advanced slowly and carefully and to both of their relief, they soon reached the spot Ruby had told about. Both of them were more than happy to see that at least this part of their night had succeeded without a major disaster. However, there was one more thing to before any of them could finally rest for the rest of the quickly aging night. The blood and vomit which still covered all three of the omnivores would have to be washed away in the pond.

It took only a short while until Ruby and Yarel had managed to clean themselves but it proved much trickier for Greentail. She was completely covered in now-dried heavy cover of blood and it took a long time before the two could get her to a good enough condition that they could sleep safe and sound from some wandering predator. Despite Yarel's worries, Ruby had told him that Dein and Terri wouldn't be a threat in a while as the female threehorn's injuries were also quite serious and Dein wouldn't just leave her there in such a condition. For this night at least, the sorrow and danger was a thing of the past. As the two dragged Greentail back to the edge of the pond, Yarel panted in exhaustion.

"That's all we can do. I'd just hope there was some more we could help her with." Yarel said mournfully as he shook his head. The blood that had covered his sister was gone but there were no signs of returning consciousness in her hazy eyes. Ruby looked at the male thinclaw with a sad expression and said in a silent voice which nonetheless carried a certain reassuring voice.

"So do I but for now there isn't. But don't worry: she'll make it through all of this. I'm sure of it." Ruby tried to recreate the voice she had used to comfort Chomper in times of sorrow but this time it wasn't the right path to take. The seriousness of the moment once again came crashing down on the boy as he realized all that he could do anymore was to pray and hope for a miracle. He turned to look away from Ruby, trying to hide his tears from Ruby.

"And what if she doesn't? Some head wounds can kill only a short time after it looks like everything is well again. I… it's still possible that she'll die!" Yarel shuddered as he saw in his mind's eye his sister's chest taking a deep, rasping breath and then falling down, never to rise again. She was already as pale as many dead dinosaurs he'd seen and that terrifying sight rolled over his eyes every time he looked at her sister's green form. Ruby looked at him in a mix of sympathy and slight frustration. Greentail's life was on a razor's edge and she could very well feel her own concern for the other girl's survival but after all the stress and shocks of the last hour, Ruby's patience was slowly beginning to get tested. Against all odds, all of the three half teeth were hear alive and Ruby wanted to believe things would stay that way. She quickly responded to Yarel, trying to keep her voice as friendly as she only could.

"It is but we could have already fallen in the valley but we're all still here. That's more than we could have asked for when Dein and Terri attacked us. We'll survive this, Yarel." A certain sense of finality radiated from the fast runner's eyes as she turned to look at the foreboding and mysterious expanse of the Mysterious Beyond momentarily. Somewhere out there family was sleeping, likely still believing she would be far, far with all her friends. Yarel was slightly angered by Ruby's words as he couldn't shake the feeling that Ruby didn't fully understand his situation. In truth there were too many conflicting responsibilities and concerns in the girl's mind to wholeheartedly think of only one. However, Yarel only sighed and swept his tears away, knowing that Ruby's help had been more than he initially had hoped for.

"Let's pray for that. I don't think if I can sleep at this point but let's at least try to rest. I'm exhausted. Where did you say the spot where we would be safe was?" Yarel tried to calm down and the toll the long march to the valley and the intense chase helped him in it somewhat. It was true that he couldn't probably sleep due to his worry for his sister but it was good to know that the situation had finally calmed down. Ruby turned to gaze to her left to the thick woods and nodded to that direction as she answered.

"It's just behind those trees but don't worry: no one will find us in there. Let's go." The two half teeth once again raised Greentail from the ground and after only a few minutes of walking, carefully put her to the ground in the pit-like formation between the hills. It was large enough for all the three omnivores to fit in it but not too comfortably. However, neither Ruby or Yarel minded it as the wind wouldn't carry their scent from the pit. It was the safest place either of them could come up with at this point.

It took some effort for Ruby to fall asleep but it was even more difficult for Yarel. He would still glance at Greentail every now and then but still, he couldn't deny Ruby's words. It was a miracle at least one of three hadn't fallen during the fight with the sharpteeth and in that light the situation could have been worse. Even then, the boy couldn't decide whether he should be thankful or angry at Ruby: on one hand, if it wasn't for her, everything would be well again but on the other, her help had been invaluable and she had decided to stay with him through this time and cast aside her personal concerns. That knowledge made the boy somewhat concerned about what the three half teeth would find once they could resume their journey. He didn't want to think what Ruby would do if her family died for her decision.

However, the fact that she had chosen to help her friends first also brought some warmth to Yarel's heart. It seemed Ruby had truly been a genuine friend from the beginning and both of the thinclaws had been wrong to ever doubt her motives. Slowly, the utter exhaustion made its way into Yarel's consciousness and slowly but ever slow surely, everything around him grew increasingly blurred until everything around him were finally swept away by the finally-falling curtain of dreams.

* * *

The next morning dawned much colder than the previous ones, a chilling wind roaming over the endless steppes and beating the small forest resting at the foot of the mountains without mercy. The trees whooshed heavily in its grasp even if it slowly grew weaker the higher the Bright Circle rose to the sky. Moreover, heavy, grey clouds hung over the land, heavy, solid drops of something which resembled frozen sky stars but was already turning back to water fell to the ground. It would melt out before long but for this day at least, the ground would be covered with this slippery, strange mess that was the most annoying aspect of a coming Cold Time.

Those melting sky stars were what brought Ruby's mind from the realm of sleep stories. The first thing she noticed after her eyes started to see again was that she was shuddering and that her feathers were wet and the ground covered with water. Her yes quickly opened with surprise and looked around herself, seeing that the melting ground sparkles were flowing to the pit the three half teeth were sleeping in but they were only streaming at her sleeping spot, leaving the two thinclaws completely dry. Ruby looked at them with slight chagrin and snorted as she shook her plumes, sending drops of water all around her and with slow steps, left the pit and went to look around her, braving the slight mist that had begun to fall upon the chilly woods. The morning was far from young but still there was no other living beings anywhere near save for a few critters in the ground. There was something in the hollow and moist forest around her that seemed to speak to her deeply.

The fast runner spread her arms and took a deep breath of the fresh air while thinking that this was a perfect moment to bask in this rare moment of reprieve while waiting for Yarel to wake up and perhaps even to brace for Greentail's recovery or final decline. For now, however, Ruby walked back towards the pond and one drop at a time, the melting sky stars turned back into regular sky water which caused the ground sparkles to slowly begin melting away. Nevertheless, even this strange phenomenon told that it wouldn't be long anymore until the Cold Time begun in earnest. Ruby knew the dangers of staying in a place like this when the chilling winds would obliterate this small refuge of life under its murderous force. In addition to the gloomy but still wondrous sight around her, Ruby's mind wandered to another thing that had bothered her ever since her desperate discussion with Dein and Terri.

The omnivore's eyes turned into a frown as she bowed over the grey waters, waiting to catch a breakfast for herself when she thought about the words of the sharpteeth about Chomper's death. The overall confirmation about his passing had hit her greatly but it was nothing more than a final seal to the morbid end of his young life. That thought pulled the girl's mouth to a mask of sadness as she hit the water with her claws, missing her target by a few inches. Ruby cursed slightly as she returned to her thoughts.

Dein had said that Chomper's body hadn't been eaten in the slightest and that he was lying near a mountain range as if he had only been surprised by the heat of the wasteland of sand. That thought puzzled Ruby greatly as the fast biters had seemed more than eager to devour her and her friends when she had last seen them. They were continuously reaching for the first bite and it didn't sound sensible for them to merely… merely kill Chomper and leave him to be after that. Ruby fought against her raw emotions as she felt her claws penetrate a rather large scaly swimmer, raising it from the water as she braced for the warm but still-bitter taste of raw flesh in her mouth. However, even the crushing of the swimmer's viscera between her jaws didn't distract her from those thoughts.

What in earth had happened? After those observations, Ruby found it hard to happen the fast biters would have simply chased Chomper for a long time merely to kill him and then leave him there. That fact bothered Ruby without end as the more she thought of it, the harder it became for her to believe it had been those sharpteeth who had been the end of her dear friend. But who other would have wanted to do such a monstrous thing? The first thing that came to Ruby's mind was Dein and Terri's ally who had called them to look at his corpse. Maybe he had thought he'd benefit somehow if the only child of the two sharpteeth was swept away? But what did all of that matter. The only certain thing was that she'd never see Chomper's cheerful face or hear his adorable voice ever again in this world. Ruby's head drooped towards the ground in melancholy as she swale the second swimmer and decided that was all she needed. She continued to follow the gentle, steady ripple of the pond's waters and the slowly dying whistle of the wind for a time she couldn't even begin to estimate. Her lonely time was only interrupted when he heard a careful call behind her. The voice belonged to Yarel.

"What are you doing here, ruby? Is everything alright?" The thinclaw walked towards her and Ruby took a brief sigh before she answered him. The scene slowly turned into a silent one which allowed the two to greet the new day which still was reflected by every tragedy and glory of their pasts.

* * *

That day slowly reached its height and before either of the omnivores even realized it, the Bright Circle was once again beginning its journey towards the west. The morning's chilliness slowly gave way to a more hospitable and warmer weather but it did little to cheer the two adolescent dinosaurs up as they here and then moved away from their temporary nest to look for food or simply take a breather from the seemingly endless foreboding atmosphere. Time passed and Greentail was still unconscious with no signs of waking up. Both of the dinosaurs knew that each passing second only made it more unlikely that she would never wake up again. The slight reprieve of the night was slowly turning to despair and sorrow as both of the omnivores did their all to keep their hopes up.

Silent steps were the only sounds in the dying forest as Yarel returned to Ruby and Greentail after taking a short patrol. The two had decided to take turns to follow Greentail's condition while the other one could go explore their surroundings. Yarel's heart fell once again as he saw that no developments had happened since his departure and Ruby's melancholic eyes confirmed the situation. The fast runner raised her head as she looked at Yarel. She shook her head and spoke as Yarel carefully walked down the hill.

"It's still the same. I'm sorry, Yarel, but it's been a long time already." Ruby said with sad eyes, disheartened by the fact that her optimistic promise last night had been proven wrong. Yarel made sure his footing was on firm soil and took a deep sigh before he answered.

"We have to keep our hopes up! At least she still swallowed the green food we gave her earlier! She still has hope!" Yarel knew his words were mostly meant to encourage himself but they didn't seem to have much effect on Ruby. The fast runner dearly hoped Greentail would wake up but she felt like she had already said her final farewells to the thinclaw. Still, she had no heart to push the issue further instead, she only answered to Yarel briefly.

"Let's hope so. No matter what, I'll return when the Bright Circle touches the trees over the pond. Try to…" Ruby's words were suddenly interrupted by a rustling voice behind her. Alarmed by the possible threat, she quickly turned around only to face a shock but a completely different one than she had expected. The movement was extremely weak but Greentail's leg twitched ever so slowly at the fallen leaves around her. Yarel noticed this immediately too and the duo quickly sprinted to her side, heartened by this sudden development. The seconds seemed to go ever so slowly as the two waited for any more signs of her recovery. They were almost ready to give up until something, even more relieving happened.

The female thinclaw's right eye opened slightly and from under her lid, the two could see her eye beginning to move weakly. Yarel nearly jumped at this development and he did his best to hide his utmost affection and excitement over her sister's slow awakening. He quickly put his head close to hers and whispered to her, determined to make her return to the world of the living as gentle as possible.

"Just take it easy, Greentail. It's okay. It's okay. Can you hear me?" That was the first thing that Yarel needed to make sure of. Nasty head injuries seldom healed without leaving a mark on the poor dinosaurs but he hoped Greentail would be okay. However, the next developments quickly dampened his triumphant mood. His sister didn't communicate her understanding in any way and her eye wandered slowly around without apparently focusing on anything. After a few moments, a completely unintelligible groan the volume of most silent whisper left her mouth. Yarel and Ruby exchanged extremely worried looks and the latter decided to try again. The fast runner's mind moved to quickly wander the most terrifying of scenarios if Greentail didn't get any better than this. For now, however, her awakening served as an unexpected gift.

"Greentail, it is us. Do you remember?" The fast runner looked at the thinclaw, completely knowing that she wasn't likely to receive an answer as she couldn't even begin to imagine what was going on inside her friend's head.

* * *

To say that Greentail was awake would have been an optimistic claim even if the seemingly never-ending, complete darkness within her mind was slowly starting to drift. However, it was only replaced by a hellish, banging ache inside her cranium and to make things even worse, the damaged mind of the omnivore felt unable to do anything about it. She didn't realize that she had moved her legs by accident and the changing visions of her eye didn't seem to make any sense.

Her gaze wandered at the ground and trees around her but she was unable to make any sense of them. And to hurt her even more, the voices around her only seemed to make the omnivore's headache even more agonizing. The last, thundering voice felt even stranger to her than the first one which felt some odd, distant sense of familiarity, as if a memory from some different life. However, Ruby's voice didn't awake any feelings without Greentail but, unknown to herself, she once again attempted to silence the voices.

"S… sttt..." As before, the word died down within her mouth but this time her two companions felt slightly more relieved. They realized what Greentail had meant to say which meant that there were still thoughts running inside her mind. There was still hope for her survival. Yarel moved a bit further from his sister and lowered his voice even further to avoid causing more pain to Greentail without a good reason.

"Alright, we'll stay silent. How do you feel?" It pained Yarel to ask such stupid, obvious questions at this point and it was more than likely that he wouldn't receive an answer.

This time, the more familiar voice seemed to raise even more feelings within Greentail's mind. Who was this mysterious voice and how did she know its source? W… was it some other dinosaur she knew? However, she still couldn't bring his name to her mind. On the positive side, the wandering of her eye calmed down slightly and it seemed to start stop to investigate some objects in more detail even if Greentail's conscious mind couldn't realize what. Among the bright light seemed to form some strange forms but she couldn't make up what.

In fact, the confused and broken mind couldn't even remember its own identity and all of her memories were locked behind an impenetrable barrier of fog and pain. The headache seemed to block any coherent feelings and even under her conscious thoughts, she couldn't form any full words. The truth was slowly dawning upon her companions in its full terror. Greentail's brain was seriously, perhaps even irrevocably, damaged but that damage's full extent was yet to be seen. Yarel's voice was still painful to her ears but at least it didn't feel like her head would break with agony. She tried to listen to his words but to no avail. However, she slowly turned her gaze at the source of the voice and at first, she saw nothing.

However, after a moment of herculean efforts in attempting to see something, some extremely vague tone of blue begun to form before her eyes. It seemed to have no concrete form but soon enough, she raised her eyes to look at the direction of Yarel's face and there seemed to be something in it that raised a familiar feeling within the thinclaw. However, her attempts to keep her head at least high enough to look at the other thinclaw's head tired her quickly. Shortly, her head returned to its former resting position and she tried again to form a few words to get a glimpse of what was going on.

"Wh… whe…" That question stopped quickly, as if Greentail no longer had the idea how to form the next sound of her sentence. Yarel accepted that Greentail wasn't in the condition to speak just yet and he spoke once again, even more softly than before.

"We're safe for now. Try to sleep for some time. All will be well soon enough." He said, rising to his full height while looking as Greentail closed her eyes carefully. It wasn't long until her tasked mind had drifted to sleep and Yarel didn't have the slightest of ideas what to make about all this. She had awoken for a short time but she hadn't managed to form any words and for now, there were no implications towards the fact that she ever would. He thought in silence when Ruby turned towards him with an issue she had kept to herself as long as Greentail's very life had been in the balance. An issue that couldn't wait for long.

"We have to get moving soon, Yarel. It won't take many days before Dein and Terri resume their journey and each day is getting colder than the last one. We cannot stay here when the sky stars start to really fall." The fast runner said, knowing the dangers of their position if they overstayed their welcome in this temporary refuge. Yarel looked at her, not seeming to approve of his companion's words in the slightest. He quickly glanced at her, taking a moment to think about his words before answering.

"Does she look like she is able to go anywhere?! It'll take days before she'll even have a chance to walk and even that would be a miracle! We'll stay here as long as we need to!" He said in outrage, preparing to turn away and go his own way for a moment. Ruby, on the other hand, suddenly grabbed his hand spoke to him a stern and somewhat annoyed voice.

"Don't you realize we don't have a choice? Whether or not she's ready, we have two days at most before we have to go! Greentail ending as Dein and Terri's meal or her freezing to death won't help us at this point and you know it! The coming days will be hard for her but we have to do what we have to do!" The girl said almost pleadingly, earning an angry look from Yarel as he broke away from Ruby's grasp and before he headed away, he spoke to Ruby with a voice which sounded something between a roar and a sob.

"She needs rest and she will get rest! My sister has been through too much already without you trying to push her even further!" Yarel said, walking into the forest in deep anger. Ruby looked at him, her hands on her hips as a show of utter disappointment. He had hoped the thinclaw to act more maturely than this but she still hoped that he'd see reason soon enough. For now, however, there was nothing more she could do about this issue than to wait for Greentail to wake up again and to hope things would be better by then.

* * *

Many long hours passed with the tension between the two omnivores lingering clearly. The day was almost over when Yarel was waiting for Ruby's return from her trip. The events of the past day still lingered in his mind when he suddenly saw Greentail's hands looking for some kind of support from the ground. Her movements were stronger this time around but they still lacked clear focus. Yarel suddenly approached her quickly and tried again to get through to her. His hopes weren't too high from the first effort but maybe things were different now.

"Greentail, it's me, Yarel. How are you feeling?" He said, expecting some kind of grunt as an answer at best. The injured thinclaw stayed still for a moment, trying to realize what the other dinosaur had just said. After a long while of thinking, the female thinclaw's finally understood the word "feeling" and instinctually, she got the slightest of ideas what he was saying. She still remembered close to nothing and the only word she formed was completely created by mere instinct.

"T… trrble." The voice was extremely blurred and stiff as she spoke but it was more than enough for Yarel's eyes to open wide with surprise. This was her first words since the disaster and even if her voice was almost unrecognizable right now, it was still better than nothing. The answer itself was to be expected, though. Yarel answered in as slow and clear voice as he simply could.

"It'll get better eventually, just try to stay still. You took quite a hit to your head. Can you remember anything?" The boy asked carefully, not knowing if Greentail could speak well enough to answer. Greentail's mind did its best to remember one thing about her whole life and that turned out to be the name of the dinosaur before her. The same thing which she had wondered when she first woke up. _Who is he? A… are we related? Could he be my brother or something like that? H… he is… but was his name? I… A… Ya…. Yaron? No, Yarel!_ The excitement of that memory was overwhelming to the maimed dinosaur and she whispered soon after her brother's name.

"You… you're Yarel. M… my brher." Greentail answered under a long, forced sigh which clearly drained a lot of her energy. Yarel knew he was likely pushing Greentail too far with his questioning but deep inside he knew that Ruby had been right. Time was of the essence and neither would Greentail have the luxury of a safe recovery. He had to try to get as much out of her as he simply was able to. The fact that Greentail seemed to remember him was a reason for optimism and he wanted to believe that his sister was on a fast track to the condition she'd been only a day before.

"That's right. I don't even know how you feel right now but… do you feel as bad as you did earlier? Or is the pain as bad as before?" He asked, knowing that his sister was in terrible pain but even then, he wanted to know if her head was beginning to finally settle down. Greentail thought about those words and to be sure, the flow of thoughts was slowly easing inside her skull even if still felt like her brain was trying to tear itself to pieces.

"Maybe. It's eaer to thnk but it still feel horrible But… it isn't as bad… as it used to be." Greentail said and with great effort, she decided to test if she could escape in any way from her terrible, death-like immobility. For a moment, the thinclaw felt panic rise within her as her limbs stood still despite her efforts to move them but after a moment, her fingers opened slowly from the grip they had been locked since the last night. She then leaned against the nearby slope and with immense pain and effort, tried to raise herself to a sitting position. However, something gave up within her arm and the poor dinosaur fell back to the ground, the omnivore managing to avoid hitting her head again.

That moment had another spectator, however, Ruby had decided to check if the situation had developed in any additional way but the sight that opened between the trees didn't raise her spirits in any ways. The fast runner quickly ran towards the girl to see everything was alright. She could see Yarel doing the same thing and with some hesitation, stopped near the two. She could hear Greentail panting in rising fear.

"My… my arm just couldn't hold me up! I… I just fell…" She said slowly, trying to move her hand to the same direction which had just failed. To her horror, the hand didn't stretch in any way behind her chest, as if an invisible wall blocked its movement. Also, another issue was slowly dawning on the poor omnivore: despite trying to look around herself for some time but the blurred, vague figures didn't seem to sharpen in any way. In deep fear, she grabbed a small stone but couldn't even see it properly. And there was no telling what other parts of her body or mind didn't work. Greentail could remember absolutely nothing of most of her life which only worsened her anguish.

"I can't see and I can't move! I…I…" The thinclaw's breaths grew increasingly violent and shocked and the air rasped immensely in her throat. Both of her companions quickly moved to help her calm down and after a few seconds of terrifying hyperventilating, it seemed like she'd start to calm down. Ruby looked at her movements and all of them seemed extremely stiff and forced but she wanted to hope they would return in time.

"Just calm down! They might get better soon but this kind of panicking doesn't help!" The fast runner said and the thinclaw's hazy eyes turned to look at Ruby in surprise and even fear. She tried to look at the speaker but no matter what she tried, she couldn't get the slightest of ideas who this pink-colored dinosaur was. She quickly moved away from her and whispered in shock.

"Wh… who are and what do you want? I… I don't want strangers near me like this!" The omnivore would have backed down even more if she were able. Ruby looked at her with sad eyes, suddenly remembering that forgetting the last few days wasn't uncommon with really bad hits to the head. Nevertheless, she was disappointed and greatly saddened by this development and to calm the thinclaw down, she stayed where she was as she spoke.

"Don't worry about me. I'm your friend. We may have met only recently but we've already been a lot through together with you and your brother. Actually, that's how you hurt your head. I'm so sorry I asked you to come with me. Things would have been so much better if I had just left you in peace." Any healthy dinosaur would have easily seen Ruby's sincerity but Greentail's eyes couldn't see her face nor was her brain ready to process the different tones of her voice. Greentail glanced at her brother who didn't seem worried in any way and decided to accept Ruby's words. There was so much she didn't remember that it was more than possible that this mysterious dinosaur was speaking the truth.

Ruby and Yarel nodded at each other in fear but Yarel had come to regret his selfish words for Ruby. Even in this state, he knew there was one more thing that they'd have to tell Greentail before she could be allowed to rest further. It would likely cause her some additional worry but that couldn't be helped. With a deep sigh, Yarel continued from where Ruby had left off.

"About the journey Ruby mentioned… I can only imagine how it must feel for you but we have to continue it before long. The danger of sharpteeth only grows the longer we stay here and we have to reach… our destination before the sky stars begin falling again. I'm sorry but we don't have many days here." Those words made Greentail twitch heavily, her eyes opening up completely. A few days? She didn't have the slightest of ideas how long she had already slept but she'd never be able to go anywhere that quickly! She couldn't even properly move her legs!

"I can't! You know that's impossible! I…" She tried to continue but Ruby finally moved closer to her, knowing that the two were asking a lot from the maimed thinclaw. It was still impossible to say if her eyesight would ever return or whether she'd be able to walk again but the Mysterious Beyond was a merciless place and even in her condition, she'd have to live by its rules. However, that still didn't mean she'd have to face it alone. Ruby tried to take a friendly expression as she offered her hand to the maimed thinclaw. Yarel followed her gesture as the fast runner spoke to Greentail.

"But we'll try to make it as easy for you as we can. We'll get through this together." Ruby said as she looked at Greentail's still-unmoving face and its lack of expressions. She knew her optimism was likely to be misplaced but pessimism wouldn't lead anywhere at this point. The thinclaw seemed to ponder her options for a while but she knew she didn't really have any. With a heavy heart and massive efforts, she offered her hand to Ruby who accepted the symbolic gesture. She then moved slightly away from Greentail and spoke one more time with a slightly relieved twinkle at the corner of her eye.

"But rest for a bit longer. We'll try to get you walking in no time." And after those words, both Ruby and Yarel left Greentail alone for a moment, allowing to let her gather her strength in peace and to clear her thoughts. Ruby's thoughts wandered already in the coming days, knowing that soon enough they'd have to move on with or without the perhaps irrevocably maimed thinclaw, no matter how monstrous that option would seem. A failure to do so would help no one and it would only endanger all three of the half teeth. The fast runner hated herself for those but no matter how she looked at it, there were no other options. Ruby only hoped that deep down, Yarel would understand the necessity of that course of action should that morbid choice ever fall upon them.

* * *

 **Even if Greentail has survived her terrible injury, her future hardly looks bright. The prehistoric world is full of dangers to a dinosaur with serious handicaps but for now, the main challenge for her is to walk again. Also, Ruby has to face the consequences of her difficult decision as the danger slowly encroaches on her family... This chapter was quite heavy in tone but I hope it was a worthy installment to this story. I already said it in my another fic but have a Merry Christmas everyone!**

 **The Rhombus: Indeed, this herd works quite differently than the Valley but there's a chance his last experience in his old home helps him put his current situation to a new perspective. The flyer's world is quickly changing but at least there now seems to be someone who accepts him in addition to his uncle. In the case Peak's fears were correct, Petrie has to deal with both his rivals and with the actual plotting within the herd. The future may offer some more action and intrigue but at least he won't have to face those challenges completely alone.**


	21. A Friendship's Birth

**A Friendship's Birth**

The young flyer's eyes were a mask of pure fear and shock as she looked at Peak walking away from the field, leaving a group of confused flyers looking at each other around the murderer's body which was left to lie on the green meadow. This wasn't the first time when the herd had resorted to this kind of punishment but it hadn't usually been committed before the observant eyes of the others. For Glide, actually observing this bloody display was a shocking experience, one she wouldn't have wanted to see. Her observations were, however, ended by another voice from her right.

"Well, at least they found the killer. We're all much better off without such dinosaurs among us." The speaker was Brownbeak, another one of Glide's friends. He was a tall flyer and slightly older than Glide and the two enjoyed each other's company a lot. However, those words raised conflict within Glide as she couldn't, despite the fallen dinosaur's terrible crime, feel that he actually deserved to be killed like this. She didn't want to argue about this but she only sighed silently before she answered neutrally.

"I just wish we never have to go through something like that ever again. It's terrible to see someone killed in cold blood, no matter what they have done. It just isn't like how things should be. But I just hope that this mess is over now." The female wanted nothing more than to avoid these kinds of bigger disasters as she was far from content with her own life, namely her own family, at this point. Glide only wanted things to go smoothly within the herd and maybe her own personal issues would solve themselves in time. Brownbeak crossed his hands and nodded to Glide in a seemingly encouraging and relieving gesture.

"So do I. Peak is a strong leader and he will make sure no one will try anything like this ever again. I'm just sorry for your friend. Nobody wants these things to happen but at least we could get him some reprieve." He said, willing to once more relay his condolences to Ortin. Glide turned to look at her friend and formed a slight if melancholic smile as she answered.

"Poor Ortin. He of all flyers shouldn't be put through all this. I know he's strong enough to go through this and I'm sure he'd appreciate your words. But I wonder what…" Her words were suddenly interrupted by a loud shriek from the meadow and all eyes turned to look at its source in deep interest and concern. They knew this call meant that there was some kind of announcement and the fact that the speaker was one of Peak's deputies told them there was something important that he'd tell. That much was true but the message itself was far shorter and any of the flyers would have expected.

"Now that this mess has been dealt with, prepare for departure. We will leave for Streli's Hills once the Bright Circle touches the highest peak you can see in the north. Make sure you're ready by then." The flyer than took off and left the flyers in the surrounding forest look at each other in confusion. Brownbeak frowned at the briefness of those words and spoke quickly before he, too, prepared to head back to his family.

"Well, that was the most important thing, wasn't it? I'll go to see my folks before we leave but see you soon, Glide! It's a long flight se we better be ready!" Brownbeak forced a smile to his face before he took off. Glide was left looking after her friend, figuring she should follow his example. However, the mere thought of his tyrannical mother, indifferent father and unbearable siblings made her cringe in anger. Despite that, in the knowledge that she had no real choice at this point, Glide sighed and joined the quickly dispersing crowd of flyers which was quickly filling the blue morning sky.

* * *

Another young flyer was also left into a similar mental void after the brief announcement. Even when he wondered where his uncle lingered, another, more morbid thought flooded into the young boy's mind. Petrie still felt sick at the sight of Peak taking the life of the old flyer and it vividly returned his mind to the moment when Chomper's claws had brought the clubtail down back in the Valley. However, his old friend had done it only to save Ruby's life from the grief-blinded mother whereas nothing had forced Peak to act the way he did.

Yet, Petrie had heard that Ruby and Chomper had agreed that should either of them ever hurt a denizen of the Valley, they'd both pay the ultimate price. Back then, all of that had felt as a distant threat but now he was forced to face that terrible punishment face-to-face and he hoped to never see such a terrible act ever again. The brown dinosaur shuddered as he looked at the rest of the herd going their own ways. For a moment, he wondered what to do until he finally heard to his relief one very familiar voice, one that prompted Petrie to escape from his former thoughtful state.

"There you are, Petrie! I searched for you everywhere! I'm… I'm sorry you had to see that but Peak had his reasons." The older flyer suddenly lowered his voice as he saw Petrie's terrified expression and he could tell without asking what had caused this mood on his nephew. Petrie looked at his uncle, confused by the amount of things he wanted to tell his uncle. However, only one formed in his mouth, the voice wavering heavily.

"Why, uncle? Why do we kill each other? If… if that old dinosaur never attacked Ortin's dad, everything be well and they both would still be with us! Why?" His countless encounters with the sharpteeth were suddenly overshadowed by the thoughts of these two deaths as well as the whole chain of events concerning Ruby and Chomper. Pterano was completely taken aback by this question and he felt sorry for Petrie when he saw his head droop towards the ground in sadness. The older flyer had been too preoccupied with his own thoughts to be prepared to answer into something like this. He, however, did his best to give Petrie a satisfactory answer to his even childish and naïve question.

"Oh, nephew. There are countless reasons why these kinds of things happen. Sometimes two dinosaurs want two different things and they think killing the other will solve something. Some others envy another flyer and the third is simply wrong in the head and Peak only did what he had to return peace to the herd. I regret every day that it has to be like this but as long as we can't trust each other, these kinds of things cannot be avoided." Pterano said in a clearly apologizing voice, prompting Petrie to raise his head slightly. The young flyer was far from content, however. Petrie wanted to know the whole reason why it had to be like his uncle said.

"But it make no sense! All of us want to live in peace with each other and to have long and fun life! No one want to take it away from other and give up their own life because of it!" The boy said, completely lost in his thoughts. His encounter with Ortin had relieved him somewhat but that had been buried under the shock he had felt when he had seen the killer's blood color the ground red. Pterano frowned as he thought about the answer, the irony of the fact that he had caused great tragedy to others not escaping his notice.

"Most want that, yes, but there are others who always think they know best and think they are better than others. Take me for an example. Countless dinosaurs died because I led them astray and… and for a moment I thought that your swimmer friend's death was worth my eventual triumph and the recovery of the Stone of Cold Fire. I've never told you about this, nephew, as I've been too ashamed by that one, most disgusting moment in my life. I didn't try to kill Ducky myself but neither did I help her when she fell into the cave from where she apparently escaped from later. I was a monster and a fool, Petrie, but dinosaurs like my former self are the reason why the world isn't a paradise!" The older flyer's voice fell as he confessed the moment when he had left Ducky for death because of his former subordinates' pressure. On that moment, he genuinely believed that others paying for his success was something he was willing to accept and the memory of that horrifying thought had haunted him on many dark, lonely nights.

Petrie's eyes widened in shock as he heard his uncle's words, not willing to believe his ears. Ducky herself had thought him Pterano truly was sorry for her but it seems like there was another side to this story. However, those words didn't invoke the reaction that either of the flyers had initially expected. Petrie's face dropped even further but his voice wasn't angered in any way as he answered.

"I'm sorry about all that, uncle. Ducky told Petrie other things but me guess me just don't know what to think anymore. Me just happy you no longer be like that. But… but everything went well with you in the end, why not with the others?" The young flyer asked, knowing the answer inside him before even asked. The boy's thoughts were just a complete mess and he wanted to calm himself down somewhat. The older dinosaur looked back towards the meadow where the murderer's corpse was slowly being dragged away.

"I'd like to believe that also, Petrie, but things don't often go like they did with me. Answer me honestly, nephew. Could you have forgiven me if Ducky had actually met her end? And what about your other friends? If the Stone had really granted me the power I sought for, all of you would have been in danger. What if I had taken all of you down while I was overtaken by the glory of my newfound powers?" That was another question Petrie had never wanted to ask himself. He had never thought about the Stone again but what if it had actually been magical? The mere thought of what would have happened chilled the boy to the bone as he couldn't realize just how far his uncle could have gone. But the answer to his question was easy.

"No, Pterano. Petrie always looked up to you but you never really hurt me or me friends. But if you did… me not think me could forgive you for that. That just be too much." The flyer breathed heavily as he thought, feeling extremely uncomfortable with the conversation. However, Pterano seemed to make him understand why Peak had acted the way he did. The older dinosaur also took a serious expression, knowing his luck in avoiding actual bloodshed during the duo's first adventure together. To be honest, he didn't know even himself whether he would have been able to live with himself had those terrifying visions come to pass despite his newfound supernatural strength. He simply decided to let those thoughts be for now and to address another, important issue for now.

"I know that, Petrie. But that's enough of such things. It isn't long until it's our time to embark on a new journey, nephew. Are you ready?" The older flyer tried to sound encouraging after this morbid talk and Petrie, despite his internal conflict, decided to try to act like he was getting over it. The boy forced a more encouraged expression to his beak as he answered.

"Petrie is ready for that! Uhh… how long the flight take again? And how your meeting with Lenel go?" He asked, willing to also show interest in his uncle's whereabouts. Pterano looked somewhat happy with these questions even if he wasn't proud of his failure in trying to catch the killer. He decided to answer the questions in the order they were presented.

"It'll be a long trip, Petrie. It'll take at least half of a cycle of a Night Circle and it should get really cold near the end. But don't worry, we'll manage it. As for my meeting with Lenel, I don't have much to tell about it. He asked me to help in trying to find the culprit but my efforts weren't… as efficient as I would have liked. In the end, he was only happy that the justice was served and he hoped that we could live in peace from now on. But it would be best if we ate something before we left. It'll be a while before we're going to stop next time." Pterano said, hoping Lenel's opinion of him hadn't suffered by his lackluster help. Still, to his relief, the higher-ranked flyer seemed only concerned with finding the killer so maybe he hadn't paid attention to his failure so much.

Petrie looked at his uncle with slight chagrin, surprised by the length of the flight they were embarking on. Yet, it mattered little as his wing was almost completely recovered already. He was just slightly worried by the availability of food at this time as most of the areas he'd seen earlier were completely barren. Petrie was somewhat relieved that everything had gone well enough with Lenel as the boy still the four leaders' positions distasteful. However, he was more than happy to comply to the older flyer's last proposition and he nodded quickly as he grabbed a drying leaf from a branch near him.

"Alright! Me just hope things will be as Lenel say and no one else want to do bad things! Let's get ready uncle, it'll be a big journey!"

* * *

The moments passed slowly for Ortin whose earlier alarm had returned the moment he had returned to the only family he had left. Not even his grandmother seemed to pay him any heed as everyone seemed to be only looking after Peak's offspring. However, to his relief, he was able to return to his meeting with Petrie within his mind which seemed to save him from the worst mental anguish. The other young flyer had been extremely awkward and Ortin was still undecided whether he wanted to get to know him better. He was a member of one of the most prestigious flyer families there were and he was a mere, lowly outsider!

Yet, there was something within the boy's mind which revolted against that very thought. In the end, only Petrie had tried to help him in his darkest hour whereas his "family" hadn't paid him nearly any heed and even Glide was nowhere to be seen. Petrie hadn't been looking for him but in the end, that mattered little. Maybe, just maybe, the other flyer's small gesture had been more important than his "status" within the herd. No matter what, the boy knew he was in Petrie's debt and he'd be ill-advised to forget his friendliness, no matter his ridiculous speech pattern and misguided beliefs. Ortin's mind swirled around those thoughts when a large shadow suddenly formed around him. The flyer gasped as he turned around and saw someone he hadn't expected to see land next to him.

"P… Peak! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be giving orders to others or something?" Ortin was far from used to speaking to his distant if revered relative as he very seldom seemed to pay any heed to the young boy. Even now, a look of authority and superiority emanated from the tall flyer's eyes as he dropped his gaze to look at the younger male.

"Hush, Ortin. I apologize for overlooking you for this long but now I see that members of our family cannot remain this distant during times of great danger. I'm terribly sorry about your father." The older flyer tried to offer, knowing that it wouldn't be a miracle if the young flyer would be stunned by his sudden appearance but he knew it couldn't be helped. The grim situation called for him to do this conversation and he would see it through for the sake of Ortin and the rest of his followers. The former looked at Peak with eyes that communicated something between sadness and astonishment and he decided to see what the older dinosaur had to say.

"I know he was very close to you also, Peak. I like what you are doing for our herd and family but… but the danger is over! You got rid of the killer!" Ortin said, willing to know what Peak was after. He knew his words weren't probably what Peak wanted to hear but for a long time, he had seen the orange-colored flyer as a leader rather than as family and his more formal speech revealed that. Peak frowned slightly, surprised by the somewhat distant welcome the child had given him.

"Ortin… you must understand that I've always been busy with my duties but I also thought you were happy with how my cousin raised you. Now that he's gone, I'd… I'd like to make up for that at least to some degree. You are my flesh and blood and those are the ties that hold us closer than you could even imagine." At this point, Peak held a small pause, earning a conflicted look from Ortin. Those were the words he had waited all his life to hear but for some reason, this situation didn't seem to give them the same emphasis he had hoped for. Still, he knew far better than to question Peak further at this critical moment. If he had an opportunity to have some kind of family again, he'd take it.

"T… thank you, Peak. I… I never thought I'd hear you say that. Dad always told me about our eternal bonds with you and the others but I never understood them. I'm honored." Ortin felt awkward beyond words as he tried to accept the offer but Peak's imposing form and his delicate state of mind prevented him from finding better words. The older flyer turned to look elsewhere, somewhat relieved that Ortin at least didn't seem angry with him. He continued soon from a completely different issue as he looked at the Bright Circle approaching the mountain his deputy had spoken of earlier.

"About one other thing I wanted to speak about, don't think for a moment that we're safe. That old fool said he acted alone but that's all lies! I'm sure there is far more to this issue. It is most likely that someone wishes ill for all our family. Someone or some other family in this herd." Peak nearly whispered, willing to make sure that no one else would hear his words. Ortin gulped as he answered to his higher-ranked relative.

"Do you have any idea who? It's terrible to think someone here would really want to hurt us." Despite his age, Ortin realized the full implications of these kinds of things due to his father's teachings about the families' histories. Peak frowned deeply as he wondered for a moment whether or not to reveal his speculations to the boy but after a moment, he decided Ortin deserved to hear the truth. Even if his motivations to approaching him like this weren't completely unselfish, he still wanted to make a good impression on his long-overlooked relative. He put his hand on Ortin's shoulder as he spoke, barely audibly, to the younger flyer.

"Don't speak about this to anyone but I've got a feeling that Nira and her followers are behind all this. She has always opposed to me in our meetings for some reason and their behavior is highly suspicious. She might very well be trying to weaken me as a way to clear her worst rival away. But don't worry about this too much, Ortin. I'll take care of all this but now that you know about this, try to stay away from them and keep yourself safe, no matter what." The older flyer said, leaving Ortin stared at a narrow river in the distance. Nira ordered the murder of his father? The same Nira whom he had seen countless times in his life and even shared a few, short words? And her family which had seemed so much like this was behind her in this nightmarish deed? Ortin felt his breath grow heavy as he thought about those implications. He couldn't believe it but he also knew Peak was a wise and just flyer who wouldn't blame others without a good reason. He nearly hyperventilated as he answered to those stunning words.

"H… how could she do something like that? I know she's a bit cranky sometimes but I never thought that she'd…" His words were cut short as he spoke, overwhelmed by the situation heavily. Peak crossed his arms, knowing that the situation was a difficult one for Ortin. However, he could see that his time was quickly being spent as the Bright Circle continued its daily journey and he spoke one last time before he took off.

"As I said, just keep your eyes open and try to see if there's something suspicious going on in our herd. But remember the glory of our family's past and take pride you are one of us. We are all children of Warekli, the most graceful flyer who ever blessed the skies with his presence. Remember that his memory is the source of our strength and unity and all will go well. Don't linger for much longer, we're leaving in a few moments. It was a pleasant talk, Ortin!" Peak said as he rose to his winds to gather the rest of the herd together, leaving a very confused flyer in his wake. Ortin's mind was a complete flux as he thought about the words that had been exchanged. He was more than grateful for Peak's words but the fact that even he was in grave danger within his own herd sickened the boy without measure. Feeling the ground beginning to burn under his feet, Ortin quickly followed Peak to the rest of the herd, hoping beyond hoping beyond hope that Peak had been mistaken and that peace would reign supreme in the days to come.

* * *

Nimble's eyes scoured the still-confused herd around her as she prepared to initiate the long journey towards Streli's Hills. For her, the morning's terrible ordeal was a thing of the past and she seemed more than ready to move on from that one, isolated event. The Bright Circle would touch the distant mountain in a few moments, telling that the long wait was finally over. Nimble eyed at her fellow leaders who nodded to her in agreement, allowing her to move forward with her declaration. The yellowish flyer could see that something was wrong between Peak and Nira but she couldn't really figure out what. Lenel looked at them with a worried glance, deeply concerned by the lingering distrust between the two. Nimble, however, decided to shake that off for now and opened her beak to speak for the rest of the herd.

"My fellow flyers, the time has finally come! After one more Warm Time of wandering, it's time for us to return to our sacred grounds in Streli's Hills! It's much colder now than it should usually be at this time but it won't hold us back! In addition to this journey being an integral part of our lives' cycles, this journey will also offer us a chance to put today's terrible crime after us! We will honor the Hills' namesake by arriving there more united and resolute than never before, with the petty distrust between our families buried for good!" Slight cheers greeted her words as she took a short pause. Nimble herself, however, knew that it would take a wonder for her words to become the truth, at least among the most prestigious families of the herd. She felt sick at the situation but she hoped things would calm down from now on.

"We joined together to protect ourselves from sharpteeth and I beg of you, make sure we don't have to begin protecting ourselves from each other! So, embark on this flight knowing that you will be asked to cleanse the hate from yourselves before we reach the last resting place of Streli, one of the most courageous and kind-hearted flyers who ever lived! Follow us my friends on this flight and remember my words! Let us go now but we won't stop until the late evening! So be prepared for a long flight!" Nimble said as she took off, prompting the other leaders to follow her shortly. After their departure, the first lines of the gathered herd took top the skies, willing to once again follow the four on this long journey.

* * *

The mere thought of flying with over a hundred flyers made the unsavory memories from the Great Day of the Flyers return to his mind and despite his slight hopes, he was quite sure no one would approve of his innovations during that test. However, another kind of feeling awoke in Petrie's heart as he begun to flap his wings under the warmth of the midday sun. The thought of accompanying his uncle on a journey like this, surrounded by countless powerful and honorable flyers made a slight pride swell within the boy's mind. The faint wind whizzed in his beak as the ground grew ever more distant under him. Petrie was slightly sad to leave the beautiful meadow-like plateau behind him but from what he had heard, these Streli's Hills wouldn't lose much to them in their natural splendor. Petrie waited eagerly to see those famed mountains and he would certainly follow his uncle on this flight. He soon spoke to Pterano who was flying near him.

"It good to be back in the sky! Me kinda liked those mountains but a bit too much happened there! Petrie just glad those times behind now and Petrie even got a new friend! Me found Ortin in the forest and he seemed really nice this time!" Petrie said, earning a relieved smile from his uncle. The two had been earlier too preoccupied with Petrie's questions for the younger flyer to tell about his meeting with the broken flyer.

"Very good, Petrie! H… how was he? I can't imagine it was an easy thing to get to him now." The orange-colored flyer said with some relief but still careful as he couldn't imagine how the poor boy must be feeling today. Petrie's face turned into a slightly more serious one but it didn't completely fall as Pterano had expected.

"Yeah, it wasn't. But me found him alone in the forest far from the others. I know we shouldn't have been there but… both of us wanted to get away from the other flyers." Petrie still wasn't ready to speak about Hoist's terrible attack on him as he wanted to push those still-fresh memories as far back in his mind as he simply was able. Pterano nearly twitched as he heard those words as it had been his and his peers' charge to oversee the meeting and the duo's claimed departure casted yet another shadow on his vigilance. He snapped quickly back at Petrie, willing to make sure such things would never happen.

"When you're told to do something, that's what you do! My sister might have overlooked it but I won't have you getting yourself to trouble for failing to obey direct orders! I won't take this issue farther than this but never do something like that again! Is that clear?" Pterano said with an angry voice, immediately earning a stunned and hurt look from his nephew. The younger flyer knew he shouldn't have told about his and Ortin's meeting place but it only slipped from his beak. Petrie simply turned to look at his uncle and answered silently.

"Yes, uncle Pterano. Petrie never do something like that again." He said, at this moment honestly thinking he could hold that promise as his friends weren't around to get him join their adventures, a thought that still circled within his mind often. Pterano's expression softened as he knew that Petrie wasn't exactly the most obedient child there was. Still, he was content with his answer and let the issue go. He simply affirmed his support for Petrie's first successes in making new friends within his new herd.

"In any case, I'm glad you're doing better, Petrie. Things will get easier with time but you are already a different flyer than the one I found wandering alone in the Mysterious Beyond. But for now, take it a bit easier. We have a long while before we can do anything else than fly forward." Pterano said, willing to let Petrie calm down a little from all of his ordeals. As he said, today would mark a major leg on of this long flight and it would be better if he left Petrie gather his thoughts a bit further. His own mind wandered back to the situation within the herd, deeply wondering whether Lenel had been right to believe that the internal danger within the herd had been dealt once and for all.

The minutes slowly turned into hours as the large group of flyers covered more and more ground and endless plains of the same, monotonous landscapes were left behind of them. Only an occasional line of hills or rivers would ever break the wide wastelands that stretched so much of the Mysterious Beyond. There was very little gossiping within the dinosaur as they knew they'd be well advised to preserve their strength for the flight and there was also the threat that getting carried away in a conversation could make them forget the danger they, despite their natural gift, constantly were in. One, powerful gust in the wrong place and an unforgiving lack of air resistance could potential cause any of the flyers to drop all the way to the ground with lethal consequences. However, that wasn't the dominating thought within Petrie's mind during those long, surprisingly lonely hours.

The younger flyer's mind was still, to be sure, a complete mess but it slowly cleared itself from the worst shocks his encounter with Hoist and the old flyer's execution had brought upon him. As more and more time passed, Petrie felt his confidence return as he spent the time looking at the changing landscapes below him. Petrie was a curious soul who, despite everything that had happened, yearned to know more about the world around him and even this wasteland wasn't an exception. To the boy's endless surprise, however, something came to his view that reminded him of the long passed, better days. As the noon slowly passed by, his eyes were fixed on a faraway spot of green in the distant horizon. The sight felt slightly familiar to him and for many long minutes, the forest far to the herd's left bothered Petrie. He had seen it before but where had he possibly… oh wait, that's it! A nostalgic smile rose to the flyer's beak as the memory of his adventure in that place flooded back into his mind as if a ghost from another life time.

It was the same swamp that he, Cera, Ducky and Spike had passed through on their journey to find Littlefoot after he and his grandparents had embarked on their quest to find the meaning behind their odd sleep stories. Even if his short time there had been filled with danger and fear, the mere reminder of his adventures with his old friends raised a bitter smile to the flyer's face. Again he argued with Ducky about on which rock to step on, again he was confronting the gigantic bellydragger which almost got him and again he was falling asleep aside beside the boulder which proved to be a grey sharptooth later on. Those were some memories Petrie didn't ever expect to treasure but now the mere sight of the swamp caused an emotional flood fill his mind, hoping he could simply fly down there and join them once again in their journey to look for Littlefoot. Especially as that journey had introduced him with the longneck's brother and father as well as allowed him to witness something so spectacular even his mother had never even heard stories about. Yes, that was one of his most treasured adventures with his friends, one that he would remember no matter how long he would live.

But as all other passing landscapes, the distant swamp slowly approached the horizon behind the flyer herd and soon enough, it had been left behind him, a thought that immediately raised other thoughts within the boy's mind. Just as the swamp had been left behind him, so had his happy old life abruptly, without any warning, been simply taken away from him. There had been no goodbyes with mother, other denizens of the Valley or his friends… all of them had been with him and in the next, they were just… gone. Trying to fight the falling despair, Petrie turned his gaze forward, looking at a long gorge in front of him which had the rare privilege to bask in the Bright Circle's light at this time of the day.

However, no matter how hard it was for him to accept, he had another life now and even if he one day could return to the Valley, the old times would never return without his friends. The flyer forced a neutral look to his face as he decided to face the reality as it was without any extra longing for the past. His happiness might hide behind the curtain of change behind him but his future lied with these flyers and with his uncle and only a miracle could change any of those facts anymore. He would forge his own way again but he would still hold the memories of his beloved friends in his heart to help him create that new lot in life. Of that the young flyer was sure as he cast on final nod towards the direction where the swamp had once been.

* * *

The day aged gently and the weather stayed surprisingly calm but eventually, an ever-increasing fatigue had started to settle within Petrie's wings. It still wasn't anything serious but he had to wonder how much longer today's flight would be. In a way, the thought of weeks of these kinds of flights troubled Petrie but he knew he'd survive it somehow. He looked at the flyers around him and it was clear their flight wasn't as easy as it had been in the morning. Petrie wondered how…

"Alright, prepare for landing! We're going to rest on that flat mountain for the night!" The voice belonged to Lenel who pointed at a mesa-like hill far below the herd. It seemed extremely small and narrow for such a great herd but Petrie knew it would probably be wide enough for the flyers for one night. All of the dinosaurs complied to Lenel's words immediately but they knew better than to act brashly as any kinds of chaotic swoops held the risk of collisions during the way down.

A slightly younger Petrie would have probably forgotten that but for some reason, the boy felt for the first time in his life like he should really try to bend among the others and he had learned to looked what the others did in situations like these and follow their example. Most of the dinosaurs seemed to search for a downward spiral of air and then adjusted their wings to begin an effective but tightly controlled descent towards the dry landscape below them. The ground grew quickly closer to the flyers and before long the first of their feet hit the sand-covered rock, causing slight clouds of dust to rise from the cliff. Lenel looked at the rest of the herd slowly reach the mesa but he decided to give his followers the few orders he had at this point. He, too, was exhausted by the flight and wanted to fulfill his duties as a leader as quickly as possible. The others had agreed to let him deliver these announcements to the herd as a token of the others' trust towards his calm judgement.

"We covered a great distance today and you've more than earned your rest. Unfortunately, we're in the middle of one of the most desolate regions in the lands known to any flyer and there is nothing to eat or drink around here. However, we should reach a slightly more hospitable region by tomorrow evening and I ask you to simply swallow your hunger and thirst until then. But for now, use this night to rest and recover your strength. You may sleep on this mesa or the hills surrounding it, I don't care about that. But remember that we will leave when the first rays of the Bright Circle greet us in the morning." Lenel said, signaling that his briefing was over before he walked away. Sighs of relief could be heard among the herd as the dinosaurs slowly prepared for the deserved rest after the long and tiring flight.

* * *

However, there was also one flyer who wasn't just yet ready for such things. Ortin looked in slight disappointment as Peak, his grandmother and other relatives didn't seem to play him much heed despite the former's speech with him earlier. It was good enough for him to know he had a place among them, the young flyer figured, but there was one thing h wanted to do before joining them. Getting to know the one flyer who had shown him true friendship of this terrible day. A deep, overwhelming sadness of his father's loss festered within the boy's heart but one part of him still pressed him forward. Knowing one would try to hold him back, Ortin started to walk towards one of the lower hills he had seen Petrie and his uncle move soon after the landing.

Ortin had been preparing to also confront Petrie's uncle but the older flyer was nowhere to be seen. This puzzled Ortin somewhat but he wasn't too disappointed to see Petrie preparing for a good night's sleep. He seemed tired but it seemed like it would still take a while for him to calm down from the long day. Ortin knew Petrie would very likely welcome his arrival as he still seemed quite lonely within the herd. The flyer landed on the small hill Petrie was lying on and quickly spoke in a still heavy but friendly voice.

"Psst, Petrie! Do you have a moment?" Ortin whispered in a silent voice, willing to make sure he wasn't interfering and Petrie rose slowly to a sitting position, looking at the other boy with a surprised expression, surprised by his arrival.

"Petrie always have time b… but why? What do me need a moment for? Shouldn't you be preparing to sleep also?" Petrie frowned, not understanding Ortin's sudden appearance at all. However, he was still grateful for his earlier kind approach to him so he decided to listen what he had to say. Not that he had much better things to do as it would still take a long time before he could fall to sleep after all the drama that had happened on this day. Ortin took a sad smile as he answered to that question.

"I guess but I wanted to come to thank you for your words earlier. I… it'll take a long time for me to get better but at least you came for me and helped me through that the worst. In fact, you were the only one who tried to help me." Ortin said somewhat bitterly and Petrie took a slightly apologetic smile as he heard Ortin's answer. Where had Glide been and what was wrong with the rest of Ortin's family? Still, Petrie was somewhat surprised by Ortin's words and he answered in the only way he could.

"You welcome, Ortin but as Petrie said, me there only because of the bullies. Me never thought you'd be there." He said, confused by where this conversation was going. Ortin remembered that Petrie had already said that during the initial conversation but that didn't change the impact of his action. He took a slight smile as he answered to that remark.

"Maybe but you still helped me at terrible time. And because of that, I consider you my friend even if you said it all was a mistake. You seem like a decent flyer and I wanted to say make you know it." He said, finally voicing his reason for this talk. The boy's initial reservations at befriending with an outsider had long since passed and he wanted to tell it also to Petrie. The brown flyer looked at Ortin in astonishment, not realizing the impact he had made on the other dinosaur in the morning. Still, he was more than happy to hear Ortin's words, relieved to finally hear some genuinely friendly words after the recent events. The wind seemed to rise a bit on the nightly hill and a silent scream emanated from somewhere in the plains below.

"P… Petrie happy to hear that! M… most other flyers have only dismissed me or attacked me without reason! Thanks for those words, they mean a lot to Petrie!" He said silently, reveling in this breakthrough. He hadn't expected Ortin to approach him just yet but apparently he was in a better situation than he had thought at first. After that remark, the mood lightened up immediately. Both of them needed the reprieve of the moment but the day held still another surprise for the day.

* * *

Her conscience troubled Glide greatly as the girl flew over the empty, silent peaks. There were still a few flyers here and there on their duties and nobody paid her any heed. The long day with her family still bothered her greatly but for now, there was one thing she wanted to do before calling it a day. She hadn't met Ortin once since the terrifying news and she couldn't help but feel like she had betrayed her charge to him as a friend but she had spent the morning with Brownbeak and the rest of the day had been far too busy to meet him. Glide cringed heavily at her failure to relay her condolences to her tragedy-struck friend. _Why didn't you see him earlier, Glide? He needs your support and he received none of it! Amazing thinking!_

The female flyer beat herself mentally as her eyes scoured the mountains carefully, inspecting every dinosaur in great deal as her eyes couldn't see in the dark too well. She had already spotted most of Ortin's family but the boy himself was nowhere to be seen. She was already growing concerned about his whereabouts as there was always a chance that something had happened to him since the morning. However, her fears were soon proved wrong when she saw him talking to someone she couldn't recognize immediately. However, when she did, she frowned somewhat. What was he doing with Petrie? They had met only once and it hadn't seemed like a too friendly occasion. Also, the girl couldn't quite shake off her slight guilt of letting him go with Eleria to the woods as it would be a miracle if he had survived without a good beating from that meeting. Glide took a deep sigh as she started her swoop towards the hills below.

* * *

"Your uncle seems to know quite a lot about the world and other flyers especially as he joined us only two Cold Times ago. I've met him only few times before but it's too bad he isn't here now. Where is he, by the way?" Ortin asked as the duo's talk had moved from tragedy to slightly more normal topic and that was their remaining families. The talk was slightly uncomfortable for Petrie as it would take quite a bit of caution not to slip anything of his mother and siblings. No matter how unappetizing it seemed, he'd have to act like Pterano was his only living relative as he feared he couldn't lie well enough about his "lost" family of his official backstory. Nevertheless, Petrie liked overall how the talk was going and any signs of nervousness were hidden under the genuine mask of relief.

"He join some other flyers in making sure there be no anything dangerous around here but that shouldn't take too long. And yes, uncle Pterano be very wise! He's been to more places and heard much more than any other flyer me ever met! Me only meet him a few times before as he always be on his journeys, away from me or me family. But he use those times well!" Petrie said with genuine excitement, still appreciating all the experience and knowledge Pterano had gathered during his years of lonely journeys. For reasons that slowly dawned on Petrie, Ortin wasn't too eager to talk about the rest of his own family but the brown flyer still would have wanted to know more about it. Still, Ortin looked at the distance as he answered.

"It certainly sounds like it, Petrie. Sometimes I'd really want…" At this point, Ortin's words were suddenly interrupted by another voice from above. That particular voice surprised him slightly as he hadn't expected that flyer to show up this late. However, despite his and Glide's long friendship, he couldn't stop the sour expression that crept to his face as he turned to look at the newcomer.

"Hi, Ortin! I… I'm so sorry about your dad! I should have come to see you earlier but… but… I'm sorry." Glide crossed her arms, not knowing at this moment why she hadn't just told Brownbeak to wait for a moment when she's pay her respects to the fallen flyer. Back then the situation had seemed too sudden and terrifying for her to think clearly. She could only hope Ortin could forgive her. Petrie, too, looked in surprise at the girl but decided to let the two friends handle this issue.

"Well, you really took your time! I know it's not your problem but it certainly wasn't funny to sit alone when my family is too busy to argue and my friends are nowhere to be seen! It be bad enough when nobody cared about my dad but everyone seemed to have forgotten me also! This day has been a nightmare and the fact that you hid all the time certainly didn't help! Where were you?!" Tears formed into Ortin's eyes as they met Glide's gaze. The utter loneliness and his mental void returned to the boy's gaze as he remembered his earlier confusion about his future and loneliness. And now that she was here, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of explanation she would give.

"I'm sorry, Ortin, but another one of my friends needed me and besides, I thought that there would be someone in your family who would be with you. Of course I should have come to see you but for some reason, I never did. I guess I just felt like you would do better with your family." Glide knew Ortin's relations with the rest of his family weren't that close but still, she had figured they'd be able to share his loss better than she could. Even then, the two had been close friends since they were mere hatchlings and if they weren't together at moments of great strategy, when would they be? Ortin fought against his sobs, knowing it would have been a difficult situation for him too if it had been Glide's father that had been murdered. He knew he didn't have a right to judge Glide's personal decisions but it was easier to acknowledge it than to calm his raging, raw emotions.

"If you had come to see me, you would have known I didn't. But… but what's done is done. Thank you for coming at all." The boy knew there was no point in taking his accusations further, no matter how hard it was for him. In the end, the most important thing was that Glide hadn't forgotten him completely. The female seemed somewhat relieved by Ortin's latest reaction but she also lamented that her words could tear the deep and still open wounds within her friend's mind all open again. Also, she wondered what was the reason for Petrie's presence but it seemed like that question had to wait for a while longer.

"Of course I did, Ortin. At least it's all over now… I never met your dad but I heard many good things about him. We lost a great flyer on this day and we are all in his debt for his services to our common cause. I'm so sorry for all this, Ortin." Glide moved closer and hugged Ortin deeply, allowing him to let another release at least some of his internal pressure. Ortin's composure fell completely as the two friends embraced for a long time under the light of the stars, the wind felling during that time. Glide sighed deeply as she her friend go. Ortin looked away as he spoke in a broken voice.

"Thank you, Glide. I miss him so much… Nothing will be the same without him… Why did he have to go?" Ortin asked the night wind, leaving his wo friends stare at him in sympathy. One of the two knew how he felt but it helped little at this point. Glide looked at Ortin, her eyes saddened by the simple fact that there was no answer to such a question. She only spoke to him in a soft voice, trying to ease the situation.

"We'll never know that but at least he lived a good life. I don't know how you feel but I think you should be happy that you knew him at all. Remember him for the rest of your life and I know he'll be more than proud of you, Ortin." She took a small pause, allowing Ortin to once regain some of his composure. Willing to get the discussion to a more comfortable zone, she suddenly glanced at Petrie, willing to know what was going on here.

"But… what are you doing here? Your family was sleeping far away from here." The girl directed the question at Ortin but she looked more at Petrie, knowing he would be the more likely flyer to answer due to Ortin's mood. And indeed, her guess was proven correct.

"We meet at morning when the others were at meeting. We were… badly hurt by different things and we found another and we help each other get over it, or at least try! Ortin then come here to thank Petrie for that talk!" The brown flyer said, minding Ortin's despair and keeping his voice low because of that. Petrie's words caused a deeply uncomforting feeling to grow within Glide, having a good idea about what had hurt Petrie during the morning. At this delicate moment, most of her antagonism towards the boy was gone and she didn't mind Petrie's presence at all. Ortin fought back another sob as he turned around and continued from where Petrie had left off.

"He's right. I'm just glad he came there and I wanted to repay him now by telling him we're friends now. I… I know how you feel about Petrie after yesterday but he's a good flyer, Glide. I… I just wanted to tell him that." Ortin sighed as he spoke, hoping that Glide wouldn't begin to dwell within her hurt pride. The last thing he wanted to do now was to begin arguing with Glide simply because of her bitterness towards the boy. To his relief, Glide showed more understanding than he had initially expected.

"Well, at least someone came to you back then. I'm sorry for my earlier words to you, Petrie. I was just angry because I lost to an outsider. It isn't something that many in this herd appreciate but… but thanks for helping Ortin." Glide would have wanted to cringe as she had been an indirect cause of the beating Petrie had most likely received on the previous day but she didn't want to raise that issue up yet Petrie, on the other hand, couldn't begin to grasp what he was hearing. First Ortin had agreed to see him as his friend and then Glide simply forgave him despite the humiliation he had brought on her. Petrie's eyes widened and he stuttered slightly as he prepared to answer.

"Of course, Glide! Petrie happy me could help but… are you not mad at me anymore?" The boy wanted to confirm, earning a thoughtful look from the girl. Glide took a short pause, simply thinking how she would give her answer.

"Well… I'm still not happy about how things went but… I have enough problems without trying to see you as my enemy, Petrie. Let's just say that there is no reason for me to try to keep the rivalry up." She said matter-of-factly, earning a somewhat relieved look from Ortin. He hadn't expected things to go this smooth and he certainly didn't regret it. His earlier despair begun to ease somewhat but it was clear those were wounds that would never heal. Still, he took what little comfort he could from the new developments. He looked with some appreciation when Petrie answered to the girl.

"That great to hear, Glide! Me had actually feared things wouldn't go like this but… I'm happy to be wrong. Petrie never wanted things to get bad between us so… thanks for forgiving me." The brown flyer said, happy by the fact that the worst hadn't happened between him and Glide. Ortin took a few steps forward the two and said to them, trying his best to fight back his raw emotions as he spoke.

"I… I'm just glad things didn't go as bad as they could have. It's getting late, though, and I'm still not ready for it but… would you two want to play tomorrow, after our long flight? I just want something fun to do and I doubt neither do you two mind a little rest after the tiring day." He said, prompting Glide and Petrie look at each other with thoughtful looks. Petrie was more than happy to earn another new friend but Ortin's words prompted a moment of hesitation within Glide.

She really liked Ortin and she'd certainly wish to spend some time with him but Petrie on the other hand… She had just forgiven him for his victory over her and to be sure, he seemed much funnier and friendlier flyer than most within the herd but he was still an outsider and slightly younger than she was. But as she thought more about the issue, he couldn't find any real reasons to turn down Petrie's companionship. After all, he had proven himself to be a cunning flyer and he also seemed like someone who could be worth getting to know better also for his friendship. After a moment, she nodded to Ortin in agreement.

"Sounds good! I'm in at this same time tomorrow, wherever we happen to be!" The girl said with some relief, her eyes looking at her two companions in approval. Her comment was soon followed by Petrie whose answer was even more enthusiastic.

"So is Petrie! Me look forward to it really much! Petrie just hope you feel better by then, Ortin." Petrie said with some concern earning a slight shrug from the other boy. Ortin looked at the desolate landscape briefly before he answered to the two.

"So do I. However, have a good night you both. Let's see again tomorrow." He said, earning ordinary goodbyes from his two friends and he and Glide quickly headed into the dark night skies. Petrie looked at the duo disappearing into the darkness, not able to believe how this terrible day had finally come to its conclusion.

The previous day's fears had been replaced by two new friends, both of which had seemed more than happy to get to know him too. Even if he was still haunted by the morning and Ortin's father's terrifying end, things were much better than he had ever dreamed they would be after the loss of his old friends. Petrie turned to look towards a distant cry in the desert, a deep smile apparent in his face. That smile had a melancholic tone to it but the joy was still clear as the skies of the Great Valley. Yes, he would be able to ford through this broken time in his life and with Glide and Ortin's help, he fight his back into life. More than relieved by the latest developments, Petrie took a deep yawn and felt the drowsiness creep into his limbs. Knowing his uncle would return before long, Petrie put his head against a small stone and prepared for the next day's ordeals and possible glories.

* * *

 **The herd's journey has finally begun in full swing but there are signs that there is deep and dangerous mistrust among** **among the flyers** **. Those suspicions are unlikely to have good consequences for the herd as they move on on their long flight. On the positive side, Petrie has finally managed to forge a genuine friendship with Glide and Ortin but how will those bonds hold up in the storms to come? I truly hope you enjoyed the numerous developments in this offering and have a happy and delightful 2018 everyone!**


	22. The Trail Rediscovered

**The Trail Rediscovered**

Heavy sweeps of sky water bashed the canopy of the small forest and shrouded it under its misty cover as it had done for two days already. The slowly dying leaves trembled under the force of the falling waters before finally falling to their last rest. Those drops slowly gathered into small lakes on the ground and soon growing streams penetrated the small woodland at the foot of the mountains surrounding the river valley. To make matters even worse, the cold air turned the flooding waters ice cold and the effect of the unsavory weather wasn't lost on Ruby either. The fast runner was soaked by the raging sky water and she shivered noticeably as she spoke to Greentail who sat awkwardly on a rock, listening to her friend's words.

"… and that is what happened before Terri and Dein attacked us. After our first journey together, we tried to rest on the higher slopes of the valley overlooking the river. Soon after, we were attacked by the sharpteeth and that is pretty much what has happened between us, between us has happened!" Despite the frigid water penetrating her feathers, Ruby was in somewhat good spirits as she spoke to the thinclaw. She had shown some encouraging signs of recovery during the past days as she had, after massive efforts, managed to rose on her feet and even walk with forced movements across the forest. However, those movements were slow and her limbs still couldn't move as freely as they should have. Greentail frowned at those words, attempting to concentrate her gaze on the fast runner.

"I see. It's a shame… but I can't remember anything clearly enough. It still hurts so much… it almost drives me mad." Greentail said slowly and with great intervals as she put her right hand on her forehead, her head still feeling like it would break up at any moment. She could form sentences but they took a lot of concentration and her pronunciation was still far from satisfactory. Moreover, her eyesight had seen only modest recovery, still struggling to even form a clear picture of her companions' faces. Yarel, who was leaning against a high and thick tree, offered her an apologetic look as he answered.

"I'm so sorry about that, Greentail. You took a bad hit to it and I'm just happy to see that you're here with us. Both of us feared for the worst for a long time. Let's just hope the aching gets away soon." The boy said, truly meaning what he said but he would have been lying if he claimed he wasn't afraid by the situation. Without her sight and ability to run, Greentail would be easy prey to any sharptooth. His sister glanced at her brother with some appreciation as she answered to his remark.

"I hope that too but it's gone on for so long… and I still feel so weak. I'm sorry I put you through all of this but thank you for sticking with me for this long. That's all I can ask." The girl said as she internally lamented the fact that she still couldn't even see her brother's eyes, let alone anything else behind him! These past few days had been a nightmare she would have wanted to wake up from but she knew it wasn't going to happen. This was what she was now: a half-blind, half-immobile good-for-nothing that would only serve as extra weight for her brother and Ruby! She still appreciated the fact that she was alive but her present condition disgusted her beyond measure. She felt like she was trapped in her broken body without any hope for recovery. And even if the other omnivore's words were meant to be as friendly as they could be, Ruby's next remark only deepened the girl's internal anxiety.

"You may not remember it but you came to save me from certain death so it was my duty to help you. But… there's another thing I'd like to tell you. The sky water has been really bad for days now and it seems to be only getting more dangerous all the time. I know it'll be difficult for you but we have to leave this evening or tomorrow at the very latest. If we don't, we'll all drown here!" Ruby's words might have sounded a bit too extreme at first but the small rivers of water around the forest were growing alarmingly wide and powerful. It wouldn't be long until it was more than probable that they could turn into a devastating flood.

Even Yarel merely looked into the horizon, fully realizing the implications of Ruby's words but he also knew that Greentail simply wasn't ready for this undertaking. The boy's disagreements with Ruby had grown rarer during the past days as the initial mental anguish over Greentail's potential death had worn off but the tension itself was still there and he had for days seen Ruby's approach to the situation as too lighthearted. Still, fears for his sister's life were now replaced with ever-growing concern for her recovery and the possibility that this could be the condition Greentail would have to spend in the rest of her life. It pained him that he could only offer an encouraging glance at the other thinclaw as Greentail pondered how to respond to Ruby's remark. However, her answer was one that neither from them had expected.

"You know I cannot do that! There's no reason to even suggest something like that! I… I…" At this point, the thinclaw's breaths grew increasingly heavy as her brain did its absolute best to come up with something. However, her beating headache and forced thinking process managed only to destabilize her to the point that Yarel quickly moved towards her to ensure that she could breath properly. Greentail's entire mind was a complete mess and every part of it seemed completely paralyzed in this moment. At least until she felt her brother's hand on her shoulder and his fearful voice asking the obvious question.

"Greentail, calm down! What's…" At this point, the deadlock within the girl's mind seemed to dissipate but not in the way she or Yarel had expected or hoped for. Suddenly, with impulsive twitch, she turned around and hit Yarel with all her strength into his chest, sending the boy flying to the ground, leaving him look in shock and fear at his sister who moved towards him, raging with all her might, her screeches emanating through the small forest.

"I knew you were just here to mock me and to search for the right moment to humiliate and kill me! I should never have trusted on anything you said you despicable, plotting…" Ruby looked in fear at the thinclaw as she walked towards her brother in an almost murderous look. The fast runner knew that something was badly wrong and she quickly ran towards her, waving at Yarel to join her. No matter what, this odd outburst had to be contained. With quick movements, she grabbed Greentail's hands while Yarel moved to block her potential escape. Greentail tried to pull herself free from her companions' grasp but the duo's grip was too much for her alone. All she could do was to listen to her brother's shocked cries.

"Stop it, Greentail! We're not your enemies and you know it! Please, just snap out of whatever you're stuck in!" Yarel's fearful and alarmed words slowly crept into the back of Greentail's mind and in a matter of seconds, her mind seemed to calm down completely. Suddenly, the two were alarmed by Greentail growing completely limp in their hands but after seeing that her expression had returned to a somewhat-normal resembling look, they sighed in relief. However, Greentail's gasps quickly brought them back into reality.

"What… what in earth got to me? I… I never wanted to hurt either of you, it just… happened. I'm sorry, Yarel. I'm so sorry." Greentail's empty gaze dropped to the ground as the realization about her mental seizure spread within her. One second, she had been shocked about Ruby's comments and the next, she was held tightly in place by her brother and Ruby, as if she had been a danger to them! But… but how? She never wanted to hurt either of them at least willingly which could mean only one thing: she was no longer in control of her own actions. Yarel quickly lowered his voice, trying to calm the situation down as well as he only could.

"It's alright, I wasn't hurt. It's over now." He said as calmly as he could even if he couldn't deny that her reaction still shocked and bothered him without measure. Greentail had never done anything like this before so it had to be another consequence of her injury. Yarel cursed that fact in his mind as he had already wanted to think the worst part had passed but it seemed like there were new terrifying things caused by his sister's head injury that made themselves known only with time. He could only hope that these kinds of losses of control wouldn't repeat themselves. Ruby also offered her condolences even if she was even more afraid than Yarel.

"Things like these can happen when you hurt your head badly enough! But for all of us, try to make sure this doesn't happen again because if it happens again, things could get even worse!" She said, hoping that she could contain her impulses in the future but she knew it would difficult for the other girl. Greentail, pale with regret and fear, sat awkwardly down to a rock, holding her head between her arms while answering to her companions.

"I don't know if I can hold these things in check! It just… happened. I… I just don't know what to do." She whimpered to herself, trying to make sense of her current life. Her companions merely looked at her, trying to offer what little support they could. After a moment, the two glanced at each other, both of their faces masks of helplessness and anxiety. Greentail's recovery would prove to be a longer and more painful to process than either of the two could have ever imagined at dawn.

* * *

A few hours later, Yarel walked the woodland alone, the events of the day and the fears over his sister's wellbeing swirling within his mind in complete flux. He and Ruby had more or less agreed that they'd have to depart the next morning at the very latest and the waters flowing around him only underlined the fact that it simply couldn't be postponed any further. But how could they when Greentail could hardly walk and her normal, kind behavior could change at any moment. No matter how he looked at the issue, the near future seemed, if not hopeless, then at least highly dangerous and terrifying.

The sky water bashed the thinclaw's reddish-yellow back as he slowly climbed a small, narrow path leading to a small ledge sticking out of the hillside in order to see if there would be any landmarks around the forest and to give himself something else to think. He had looked at the cliff many times before but he hadn't had the time to visit it until now due to the fact that Greentail had needed constant supervision. Despite her problems, he felt like his sister deserved some privacy after all she had gone through.

The precipice opened before the boy as the narrow path slowly gave way to the small precipice which provided a great view over the surrounding lands. It was about two longneck lengths from the ground and Yarel panted heavily when he finally reached the top. He looked in worry as large streams of water flowed from the higher slopes of the hill and then flowed across the precipice to then fall to the forest below as small waterfalls. Still, it took all of Yarel's willpower to give them any attention as his sister was the foremost thought in his mind. Was there any chance that she could ever return to the thinclaw she once was or could she actually stay forever the way she was now? He simply couldn't believe it after the siblings' long journey from the Lonely Heights and the months they had spent together. Yarel shuddered at the thought that despite their occasional fights, neither of the two could have even imagined a life without each other. Now, to his immense sadness, that was a real possibility the boy was being forced to face if Greentail couldn't get a hold on her disabilities in time.

The thinclaw took a deep breath as his eyes explored the distant horizon, disappointed to see that only wider fields of dry, frigid steppe greeted his eyes. There seemed to be completely no kinds of landmarks anywhere, not even some memorable formations of rocks among the seemingly flat expanse of lifeless land. Even the foot of the mountains anywhere on his left or right seemed to… wait, what was that?

Yarel immediately turned his gaze to a rather large dinosaur walking by the mountain range in the distance, moving slowly away from his position. How had it managed to escape his and his companions' notice for this long and even more importantly: what was it? The thick rain made that question a difficult one for Yarel but if he were forced to guess, it was either a swimmer or a domehead. Perhaps he'd have to tell the others of this….

At this point, a powerful cracking sound interrupted Yarel's thoughts completely. With an alarmed turn, the thinclaw turned to look at the source of the voice. On the cliffs above him, a great mass of brown, wet mud was flowing over a group of boulders and one of them had fallen to the lower slopes of the hills but that was only a small detail for Yarel. The thinclaw's eyes opened wide as he realized what was happening. Earthfalls often occurred after many days of falling sky waters and they could easily bury entire herds under it if they were slow or unfortunate enough. More and more the moving soil was flowing over the cliff and Yarel knew that he and his companions were in massive danger. Knowing that time was off the essence, Yarel sprinted to the path leading back towards the ground. Should the wall of rocks break before he reached Ruby and Greentail, there could be truly terrifying consequences.

* * *

The fast runner shook her head as she looked at the pond that had just two days before been a tiny and calm body of water. Now it was overflowing the surrounding lands and the sky water only worsened the situation by the minute. In addition to the flooding ground, the air was unbelievably raw and chilly and Ruby wouldn't have been surprised in the least if the sky water were going to turn into ground sparkles at any moment. Still, similarly to Yarel, the weather took the backseat within Ruby's mind as she, too, felt sick at the fears of where this journey would end. Greentail's survival was still by no means certain and any of the omnivores could still end up in a sharptooth's maw before all was over. But the thoughts that had swirled in the girl's mind over and over in the past days were swept away by the same sound that had startled Yarel.

All of her worries moved immediately from dominating her thoughts into bothering background noise within her as she moved to look where the crashing sound had come. It came from the mountains but the thick canopy of the forest and the heavy sky water prevented her from seeing high enough to say where the thundering rumble had emanated. That was until she heard a familiar voice crying to her from the far distance.

"Come on, Ruby! We have to get my sister now! This place will soon be drowned under a mass of mud!" Those words puzzled and alarmed Ruby greatly as she could see he was being dead serious but he didn't really tell what was that terribly amiss. Still, she joined Yarel in his sprint and shouted back to him to find out what was wrong with the thinclaw.

"What's happening, Yarel? What is that badly wrong?!" Ruby called even if she dreaded the answer. The boy answered to her immediately, the words only serving to deepen Ruby's growing panic.

"Massive amounts of soil are beginning to fall from the mountains! It's going to bury us if we're not quick!" Yarel cried, his expression stiff with despair as more and more of the wet mud fell to the ground as it wouldn't be long before it would begin spreading towards the trees. Ruby swallowed audibly at those news and the two half teeth sprinted towards their temporary nest as quickly as they only could.

* * *

The growing danger, however, wasn't lost on Greentail either. Even through her fears of what had happened earlier, the girl had noticed the falling rocks and the ever increasing flow of water on her sleeping face. At first she had tried to simply ignore it but as her feet were submerged ever deeper into the forest, she decided to rise up from the tree stump she had been sitting on and head for higher ground. It proved to be far from easy to the maimed thinclaw as it proved more than taxing for her to try to find a good footholds as her legs still didn't move even close to normal. They felt like sticks she had to move uphill with the mere movements of her hips. The girl cursed severely at her difficulties as she fought her way upwards against the streams of water flowing down into the pit she and her friends had used as their home in the past few days.

After many minutes of forced struggles, she finally reached the solid ground but she panted heavily at the taxing effort. She felt some reprieve that she had managed to complete the climb at all but it was a far cry from what she should have accomplished. Truth be told, she still couldn't remember a whole lot from her past and the parts she could were distant, vague images of events that had happened long ago. Still, she had seen how Yarel and Ruby moved and the fact that she couldn't move nearly as easily as they frustrated the girl heavily. She was just beginning to try again to bend her legs to the positions she hadn't been able to since her injury until she heard a loud cry from her left.

"Greentail, come quickly! The whole mountainside can collapse at any moment!" The voice belonged to Ruby who quickly approached the other girl from the forest. The thinclaw would have been far more severely startled if she'd been able to see Ruby's terrified expression but the urgency in her voice was more than enough to get the message through to the thinclaw. Her unseeing eyes flashed wide open as she heard Ruby's voice and with forced, awkward steps started to move towards the other girl who was closely followed by Yarel.

"Of course something like this has to happen in this cursed forest! Everything seems to be going just as terribly as they only can! How do you know it?" Greentail asked but immediately, the rumbling voice followed her question. Ruby and Yarel looked in utter horror as the entire mountainside near them seemed to twitch slightly forward and then quickly fall to towards the ground. Unspeakable amounts of wet soil was on the move, threatening to bury anything unfortunate enough to stand in its path forever. Yarel was the first one to snap out of the initial shock and he quickly moved to his sister's hand and yelled to her in deep fear.

"Follow me as quickly as you can! There's no telling how far the earthfall will go! We have to get as far from it as we just can!" The boy cried as he started to run, trying to adapt to Greentail's handicap by slowing down his pace but it took all of his will power not to run away with all his might before this overwhelming display of the nature's power. To Greentail, the flurry of overwhelming noises, imminent danger, her lack of eyesight and the slippery ground formed a hellish combination of elements that hindered her flight severely. It was as if she was struggling to run in complete darkness, surrounded by unknown dangers that existed only in the beating, aching flux that now was her mind. The thinclaw managed to turn her awkward walking into extremely difficult jogging but any talk of actual running would have been extremely exaggerated. To the girl's further displeasure, her efforts were only rewarded by further orders from Ruby who was running a good distance before her.

"We're moving too slowly, Greentail! You have to run faster!" The fast runner shouted, looking in desperation as Greentail tried to increase her speed but the stiffness of her knees and feet seemed to hinder those efforts. Furthermore, the mass of mud had already reached the ground and it was already starting to engulf the land under its terrifying force. Ruby looked with a sickened feeling as their temporary home was buried under the wet soil and it wouldn't be too long before it would reach the half teeth as well. The fast runner realized that she and her friends would have to reach higher ground and fast as there was nothing more they could do for Greentail at this point. She'd have to complete this run by herself as she and Yarel couldn't run for her. Ruby looked in deep fear around herself, trying to find some place she and the thinclaws could escape to. After a moment, she let out a brief and fearful cry and pointed to her left.

"I think we should go this way as I remember that the ground slopes higher out there! It's our only hope!" She yelled, making Yarel frown with some puzzlement but he didn't have any better ideas himself. He took a brief sigh before he quickly turned to his sister who panted in clear impatience.

"Let's do as she says! You're doing great, sister, but we don't have much more time! Please, try to hurry!" Yarel hoped his words would help his sister in finding her courage to move forwards with her running but it seemed that at least some of her former pride was left within her as she snapped back at him.

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm doing my best all the time!" Her voice was extremely irritated and it caught Yarel completely off-guard but soon he realized that he wouldn't be in much better spirits if he were on Greentail's place. He merely cringed and turned his gaze forward, dearly hoping that Ruby knew what she was doing. That was all he could at this point.

Many trees fell upon the onslaught of the earthfall as more and more of the wet ground overwhelmed them with brute mass. The mud was advancing unbelievably fast in the soaked ground and the seemingly endless flow of sky water showed no signs of halting. More and more parts of the mountain walls were beginning to be covered with the falling soil which was highly unusual due to the cold weather. The ground had already turned hard due to the cold but apparently the endless masses of water had been enough to destabilize the ground packed on the mountain wall, creating a perfect deathtrap for those slow enough to escape from its path and Ruby dearly hoped she and her friends wouldn't fall into that category.

The fast runner's eyes searched the plains around her for signs of the hilly region she had spoken of and she was already growing fearful she had remembered wrong. However, after many minutes of running, the ground begun to clearly slope upwards, gently at first, but behind it rose a far steeper hill. Ruby knew that was the trio's best hope of surviving the earthfall but it would certainly pose another, distasteful ordeal for Greentail. Still, Ruby knew she didn't have real options at this point so she quickly called to her companions who were following her closely.

"We must get to the top of that hill and we should be safe! Come quickly!" The fast runner shouted as she moved to the foot of hill but she decided to wait for the two in case Greentail needed help and it wasn't long before the duo reached her and begun moving uphill as fast as they could. However, similarly to her efforts in climbing up from the small group's temporary nest, her legs refused to bend into the right positions for her to accomplish such a climb, at least quickly enough. Still, she didn't want to ask for her companions' help but it wasn't until a few seconds later that Yarel noticed his sister's immense troubles and cried to Ruby in horror as he saw the masses of mud flow only a few longneck lengths behind the maimed thinclaw.

"We have to help her, Ruby! She cannot do this alone!" The boy yelled as he quickly returned to Greentail, shortly followed by Ruby. The female thinclaw was about to object to the help but she decided against her before any sounds escaped from her mouth. She realized that such efforts would only complicate the situation further without achieving anything. Ruby quickly took Greentail's left leg and put it on higher ground into an angle that the other girl couldn't have managed herself. However, the latter soon realized that the muscles needed to support herself in that position didn't work and she simply fell painfully on her knees. Still, Greentail realized she had managed to get slightly further uphill so she merely nodded to her companions, prompting them to continue their efforts. Yarel quickly moved her other foot a bit further in hurry as time was quickly running out. Greentail cursed heavily as she fell to the ground one time after another but even then, she was nearing the top at a surprising pace. Yarel and Ruby looked at the approaching mass of mud and after herculean efforts, the trio collapsed to the top of the hill, panting in relief and exhaustion.

Ruby quickly looked backwards and to her utmost happiness, she could see that the earthfall had seemed to stop at the middle of the hill, the wet earth waving slightly before it begun to retreat back towards the actual ground level. The fast runner fell to her back and exclaimed in utter fatigue.

"We… we did it! You did well, Greentail, well you did! I almost thought we weren't going to make it!" The girl said as she slowly rose back to a sitting position only to see that the female thinclaw was waving her head in desperation. It seemed like she was in the brink of tears but she held them at bay for now. Still, she sniffed slightly before she spoke again.

"Th… thank you for saving me but… this is all for nothing. You could see that I could never have climbed the hill myself and I couldn't even run properly. I'm… I'm just a complete burden for you and most likely I'll always be. Just think if we had been running from sharpteeth and not from earthfall. I'm simply done for." She said as she buried her head into her hands, looking completely beaten by her difficulties. Suddenly, Yarel took a more decisive expression as he moved towards his sister. He had listened to Greentail's self-bashing for days and now he felt like he was ready to give her the talk Greentail had deserved for days.

"I know things are hard for you right now and that you don't remember what happened before your injury but listen to me, sister. Our whole life has been a struggle for a long time now and all that time, you were there to comfort me and help me through those times. Mom and dad's end was my fault and I did nothing but cry and whine for days afterwards. I was a complete burden to you during those days yet you never even thought to leave me to die! Yes, it would have been bad if a sharptooth had chased us now but what matters is that it wasn't a sharptooth! Do you understand what I'm saying?" Yarel softened his voice near the end, willing to underline his feelings at this point. He had felt like useless weight to his usually strong-willed and more practical sister and in addition to the things he just said, this was a chance for him to pay at least a part of his former weakness back to his sister. Greentail looked at the boy with some astonishment, regretting the fact that she couldn't remember those times well enough to know whether her brother had just made those things up to reassure her at least to degree.

"I'd like to but I just can't remember how we survived back then! Even if it was your fault that our parents died, you at least could recover from the guilt in time! I cannot and things will only get worse when the Cold Time truly comes! I don't want to sit in some cave for that whole time and just wait until all my food is brought to me and with good luck I'll even hit the one feeding me! I don't want to be like that!" She said in despair, unable to believe that her recovery could bring any immense benefits anymore. However, those words seemed to ignite a new idea within Ruby's mind and the fast runner and she then joined the conversation.

"Perhaps it doesn't have to be like that! Greentail, listen to me. My parents know a lot about many kinds of things and I remember that head injuries are one of those things they know about! I'm not sure how much they can help you but at least they should be able to say something about how well you're recovering and what you should do to help your head heal as well as it can!" The fast runner said, remembering how they had told her about different injuries she'd have to face during her life. However, the girl dreaded the possibility that her parents, if the trio could find them in the first place, would only confirm Greentail's own worst fears and tell that she'd never survive even into her adulthood. However, her proposition didn't sit too well on Yarel who was rather disappointed to hear that Ruby still thought only about her own quest. He snorted quickly before answering.

"We have much more important things to focus on right now, Ruby. Besides, we don't have an idea where they are! We took you as far to the east as we could but they could be anywhere in these lands!" Yarel said, only now realizing how stupid his original promise of ever helping Ruby find her family actually was with the little information the two siblings had. Ruby looked at him oddly, understanding that the boy had given a slightly too optimistic picture of his and his sister's knowledge in the first place. Still, she wasn't ready to give up knowing that her family's very lives could depend on her warning them in time about Dein and Terri's vendetta. The sharpteeth could find the fast runners with their sniffers but Ruby nor her companions had such a gift. After a moment of pondering, she finally opened her mouth again.

"My parents like to stay hidden from most other dinosaurs but it isn't impossible that someone has more knowledge of the lands around us. I don't think we can even hope to expect someone to have met them but I think I could guess where they are if I knew the places I should guess about! But there's really no one around here… except Chomper's parents." Ruby ended with a slight cringe, knowing that even if the trio could find someone out there, he or she could be far from friendly.

Yarel frowned in deep thought, glancing at his sister who seemed to simply resign to the role of a listener in this discussion. The boy knew that Ruby was probably right that finding her family could still be the group's best option at this point but there was little chance of finding them at this point… except that dinosaur he'd seen in the rain earlier! It was a long shot but if that dinosaur could give the trio some direction at all, Yarel figured he should tell about his sighting earlier. Even if he still hated Ruby's seemingly selfish motives, he still had to accept that didn't have a better plan than she did. Not anymore.

"Actually, there's another dinosaur somewhere near us. It was either a swimmer or a domehead and I saw him or her walking away from us in the rain but it couldn't have gone too far from us in this weather." Yarel said, biting his teeth. Even if he knew that few leafeaters held any love for his kind, they still weren't likely to pose a threat on him or his companions. Ruby's expression turned immediately into a more hopeful one as she turned to look at the direction Ortin had nodded at. If the swimmer or domehead had lived in these lands all his life, he might be of help after all! Ruby smiled to Yarel slightly as she answered.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's find him and see if he knows anything of value! The earthfall hasn't blocked this direction at…" Ruby was already walking downhill when Greentail spoke to her silently. It was clear she didn't like to tell what she had to say but it was still urgent.

"I cannot take another step right now. I don't think I can come with you yet." She said, looking at the two in clear regret. Ruby seemed thoughtful for a moment but after a moment, the confident and optimistic smile returned to her face. It would be a bit risky to leave Greentail alone like this but it was highly unlikely that any sharptooth would find her during this kind of sky water.

"That's alright, Greentail. Try to calm down and recover your strength. We'll be back before you know it!" The fast runner said, waving Yarel to follow her. Greentail let out a small sigh of relief as she sat down, looking downhill in astonishment. Even her injured eyesight could see that the mass of mud was slowly retreating but the mere violence of the phenomenon chilled her without measure. Without her companions, she would have surely been buried under those waves before she had even managed to start her escape. The two other half teeth slowly turned around and headed downward the hill's opposing side. With any luck, the small group would have a direction once again soon enough.

* * *

After a few minutes of walking, Ruby finally broke the silence. The sky water was slowly losing its intensity but it was still enough to prevent the duo from seeing clearly. Ruby's voice was almost happy at the thought that maybe she'd finally be able to end this endless march of sorrow and never-ending hardships.

"Where did you say you saw the swimmer again? We've walked quite a bit already!" It was clear from the girl's voice that she was by no means complaining but Yarel's answer broke the feeling of friendliness between the two. Even if he had proposed this search himself, the absence of his sister seemed to allow his long-buried frustrations about the recent events, which he hadn't even noticed himself before, to resurface with full force. The thinclaw's sharp tone surprised even the boy himself but the words were the ones he would have wanted to say many days ago.

"I bet you're excited to find that dinosaur as all that you've seemed to care for the past few days is to find your precious family! It's a good change from simply helping me and my sister, isn't it?" He asked, stopping his walk immediately and crossing his arms. The fast runner's relatively carefree behavior had annoyed him for a long time but his sister's presence had prevented him from opening this issue earlier. Ruby felt like she had just been hit to her head as she turned to look at Yarel whose expression turned sourer by the minute. Had she actually heard what she thought? What was the thinclaw thinking?

"W… what? Of course I'm excited to find the swimmer but only because…" Ruby started but she couldn't even finish her sentence before Yarel finished it with his own version.

"… because you want to find your family! Our more pressing problem here doesn't seem to bother at all! You seemed to forget my sister immediately the moment I told you about the swimmer! And you've never really seemed to care about her condition in the first place!" It was apparent that this outburst had been building inside Yarel for a long time. The last conversation and Ruby's selfish interests had been the final straw that had forced him to speak up his mind. Ruby gasped for a few times, struggling to find the right words to say to her companion. After a few moments, she started to stutter slowly.

"B… but I've helped both of you as much as I've been able in the past few days! What more would you wanted? I've mostly let you handle talking to her, it's true, but you are her brother for goodness' sake! You know her much better than I do!" Ruby frowned deeply as she spoke, feeling extremely outraged by Yarel's words. She had possibly endangered her family to help him and this was this way of saying thank you? Who did he think he was?

"Maybe but all you've done in the past days has been simply to telling her what to do and only worsening her condition while dreaming about your own things otherwise! I knew we had to leave all along but I tried to encourage her, not frighten! It almost feels like you beat her that hard only to force her onwards on your quest to find your family and after you so readily forgot her to search for clues about their whereabouts, I'm only more certain about it!" Yarel nearly shouted as he spoke, his genuine concerns mixing with the incredible anxiety and unrealistic fears to form this abrupt moment of enmity within the young thinclaw. Ruby moved a few steps closer to him, speaking in a lower but just as hateful voice.

"My family is danger because I decided to stay here and help you! Of course I want to help them as quickly as I can and you saw yourself we couldn't have waited for any longer here! What else could I have done for you two?!" Ruby asked, narrowing her eyes as she spoke. Yarel's words infuriated her greatly despite remembering what could have happened if Yarel and Greentail hadn't come to her aid when they did. Yarel's voice dropped immediately but the antagonism in it remained.

"I want you to care but you seem to mostly think about your own things, not about us!" He only said, trying to show Ruby his point wasn't anything too far-fetched but they managed to only puzzle the fast runner further. She stuttered for a few seconds before she answered, taking a few steps towards her companion.

"In that case, why do you think I stayed with you in the first place and not disappeared into the night when Greentail was injured? Don't you think that would have been what I'd do if I truly was the jerk you think I am?" She growled, the argument getting on her nerves very quickly. Yarel, on the other hand, took a short pause, thinking about the best answer to her argument. It was true that he had been surprised by Ruby's decision and back then he hadn't had any second thoughts about the girl's motives. After a few moments, he rebuked with another claim.

"I'm not sure what I think about you, Ruby, but even an idiot knows better than to head into danger alone when he has a choice on the matter! Maybe you wanted us only to safeguard your back?! I don't even know but you haven't at least proven me otherwise lately!" The boy cried, not noticing a large shadow to his left which was slowly approaching from the forest. Both of the omnivores were too intensely focused on their fight to pay attention to the world around them. A mistake which usually would be any dinosaur's last in the Mysterious Beyond.

"I don't have to prove anything to you as you don't believe anything I try to prove to you! What are…" At this point, the fast runner's sentence was quickly interrupted as she felt a powerful hit to her back and her legs being swept away under her. After a few, shocking moments, Ruby found herself lying on her belly and felt a foot on top of her back, preventing her from attempting any kind of escape. Yarel's terrified expression only deepened her fear as she heard an old, male voice speak.

"Don't take one step if you don't want to see your friend's back being crushed, egg stealer. She won't stand a chance at this point." Yarel looked at the speaker who had to be the same swimmer he had spotted from the cliff. He was dark green with a slightly lighter underbelly but all of the boy's attention was being fixed on his face which communicated nothing but deep hate towards the duo. Yarel could see Ruby looking at him with a pleading look, clearly asking him to comply. For a brief moment, the thinclaw seemed to question whether or not to take his chance to run but soon enough, he knew his choice was already made. Despite their fight, he wouldn't leave Ruby to die like this. Not simply because of his own doubts and fears. After a few seconds, he spoke to the swimmer carefully.

"Let her go! We don't mean any harm to you, I promise! W… we were just passing through these lands!" He tried to reason with the sudden attacker, attempting to prove that neither he or Ruby was a threat to him. His attempts to calm the situation down were, however, met only by a bitter laugh.

"Of course brats like you aren't a threat to me! All your kinds are good for is murdering unborn children and attacking far better dinosaurs when they're asleep! I know little more despicable creatures than half teeth! Tell me one reason why I wouldn't kill you now and save countless parents from losing their children, fast runner." He said, increasing the pressure on Ruby's back to emphasize he was being serious. The half tooth gasped in fear and pain as she tried to form a few intelligible words. Her voice was forced and weak as she spoke but strong enough for the swimmer to understand what she was saying.

"I… I've never stolen an egg in my life or hurt anyone! As Yarel said, we were only trying to get away from here as fast as possible! You'd never have to hear from us again!" Ruby's claim was far from the truth as she hadn't had the luxury to choose her diet during her early childhood but facts were of little importance in this threatening situation. However, the swimmer didn't seem to be convinced by Ruby's words and he kicked her again to emphasize his point. After that he spoke in an even lower but just as threatening voice.

"Don't lie to me, scum! I gave you a chance but you decided to waste it by trying to slither your way away from my questions! Just like a true fast runner…" He said as he prepared to finish his job. He knew that he couldn't catch the male omnivore no matter what but even the pink female would be better than nothing. However, just as he was moving to finish Ruby's already broken life, she cried to him once again, her conscious reasoning disappearing under her growing panic.

"Please, don't do this! We have to find my family before Dein and Terri do or they're all lost! We escaped from them once before and they wish to slaughter my parents and siblings to punish me! You must believe me!" Ruby was already preparing for the end but shortly she felt the swimmer's foot rise from her back, slowly releasing her from his deadly grip. The larger dinosaur took a deep, regretful sigh as his eyes met those of the astonished omnivore, his gaze communicating deep disdain but the hate had vanished from them with the girl's last words.

"Did you just say Dein and Terri?" He asked, still close enough to strike Ruby down if she tried to escape and after a short moment of hesitating, the omnivore answered to the male carefully.

"W… why yes, I did. They swore to take me down when I did… something terrible to them. Terri was badly injured during our last meeting but she should be on the move again soon. You have to let us stop them!" She pleaded again, surprised to see even a glimmer of approval in the old swimmer's eyes as he turned his gaze into the horizon. He then answered slowly, his words stunning Ruby completely.

"The cursed half teeth may have taken my unborn children from me but those two sharpteeth sent my mate to the Great Beyond even before that. The sight of them tearing her to pieces is one I'll never forget. I may have had only bad experiences with your kind but at least it wasn't you two who attacked us. I may come to regret this but if you plan to turn against those two monsters, I guess I'll have to let you go. Hindering their plans is more important than crushing one brat anyway." The swimmer spoke the last sentence under his breath but it was still audible to Ruby's chagrin. Yarel, who had followed the scene in deep fear, took a few steps forward and joined the forced conversation. He was as nervous as Ruby but he decided that this was the correct moment to voice his and Ruby's reason to seek him out in the first place.

"There have been many stories about Dein and Terri's attacks around the world. I'm sorry about what happened but… we came looking for you to hear if you can actually help us." Yarel gulped as he finished, dearly hoping he hadn't stepped too far. It was still clear the swimmer was agitated by the whole situation but to the boy's relief, no further outbursts came from the older dinosaur. Instead, he shook his head slightly as he turned to look at the thinclaw, the situation clearly weighing down on him heavily. The older dinosaur's voice was mocking but also interested as he answered.

"Two fast runners asking a swimmer for help? Neither of you will live for long with that attitude and if you hadn't brought those two bastards up, your companion would be dead already. What do you want to know?" The older male said wearily, earning careful smiles from the omnivores, not believing their luck after the initial terrifying meeting with the unusually furious leaf eater. Ruby and Yarel exchanged glances and it was the girl who answered to the swimmer.

"Well… we were wondering whether you've seen my family anywhere around here. Or at least some place which looks like my family could be there!" The fast runner crossed her hands, dearly hoping she'd receive a satisfactory answer. She knew the swimmer would be unlikely to have a cordial relation with her parents but any clues about their whereabouts would be highly welcome. The swimmer frowned at the question and he took a more thoughtful look and after a moment, he finally gave his answer.

"I try to avoid fast runners at any cost and to my relief, no, I haven't seen any others of your kind here in many cycles of a Night Circle, not since… that day." The old swimmer's voice dropped at his last remark and Ruby felt her fears rise again. For now, this dinosaur was her only hope of trying to save her family and she'd have to get more information out of him than this. With a more worried expression, she continued the questioning.

"But surely you know more about this land than we do! My parents used to live in the middle of maze-like hills where they could live in peace without sharpteeth! Please, we must find them to stop Dein and Terri!" Ruby tried to remind the older dinosaur and her encouragement seemed to work somewhat on the swimmer. It was clear that he had had quite a history with the two sharpteeth and Ruby couldn't help but feel like there was even more to it than the male let out.

"It's impossible to say as these cursed steppes go on for many long days' walks in almost every direction. However, there are some hilly regions a bit further north from here and there which could indeed house some half teeth. It's a long shot but that's the best answer I can give you two. Dinosaurs of your age should reach them after the Bright Circle has set two times." The male crossed his arms to emphasize his point and both Ruby and Yarel seemed a bit disappointed by the swimmer's words but even then, Ruby knew she was lucky to even be alive after the swimmer's attack. However, the frigid breath of the wind returned her to the harsh reality she now found herself in. She quickly glanced towards the vast, empty plains, dreading the coming journey in advance. It didn't help her any that her teeth clanked together as she prepared to bid farewell to their unlikely helper.

"That isn't too much but we'll go see those hills anyway! Thank you very much for helping us!" Ruby smiled carefully, earning a conflicted snort from the male. It was clear that he still held little sympathy for the fast runner. However, he had been forced to choose the lesser of two evils which was more than Ruby had had the right to hope for in the first place. The swimmer turned his back on the two young dinosaurs as he prepared to move on with his own, lonely life.

"Just make sure to make it count and try to stop whatever those monsters are up to. Besides, I have to give credit to anyone who even dreams of heading to the empty plains at this time. It'll take a real miracle for you to survive the chill of the falling Cold Time…" The swimmer spoke silently as he headed into the still-heavy cover of falling rain, leaving the two omnivores staring after him with deep concerns for their future. Ruby knew that his warning had been more than a reasonable one as he remembered more than well the chilliest Cold Times in the Valley and that place had been shielded by the mighty walls which protected it from the worst winds. Here, the chilly bite would be her companion every moment of her life and the mere thought of that was more than enough to make her shiver. However, there was another issue that would have to be addressed before the coming search.

The earlier inflamed atmosphere had turned into an awkward, bothered silence the moment the swimmer's back had disappeared into the wall of sweeping waters. The fast runner was somewhat encouraged by the fact that Yarel hadn't attacked her immediately: maybe there was a chance that their earlier argument hadn't caused anything irreversible. The girl took a brief sigh and turned to look at Yarel and offered her amends to the boy who looked equally conflicted and unsure at the situation.

"I'm sorry if I've behaved the way you told but… I truly wish to see all of us surviving through all this. And I'd still like you to come with me." She suddenly turned look at the boy, her eyes meeting those of Yarel. Several thoughts were swirling within the thinclaw's mind, first and foremost the question whether he believed Ruby about her motivations and her willingness to stand for him and his sister. Yarel already dreaded making that journey with Greentail and once again, Ruby hadn't brought her up at all when she had apologized to him. For a brief moment, Yarel was seriously considering sending Ruby on her journey alone but just as the words were about to form in his mouth, they seemed to freeze still.

Only a few days earlier, he and his sister had been prepared to risk their lives for this fast runner and even if he couldn't recall his reasons for that in this delicate moment, he remembered how promisingly his, Ruby and Greentail's friendship had started and the optimism they had for their quest. But ever since his sister's injury, all of that had changed. Ruby had seemed like a completely different dinosaur since that night and a small part in his mind was screaming for him to attack Ruby again and make her face the reality the boy now found himself in. However, even through his fatigued mind, Yarel had to admit that the girl wasn't the only one who had been changed by Greentail's disaster. And if there was a small chance the fast runners could help his sister, he'd have to take that chance.

"I… I guess I have to apologize too. I just want you to remember our problems too and I cannot speak for my sister but all that has happened seems like a waste if we give up now. I guess I have no real choice here but promise that you won't push my sister too hard. This journey will be a difficult one for her." Yarel gritted his teeth together as she looked at the direction the swimmer had pointed. Dein and Terri were most likely on their way there by now and she wanted to reach her family as quickly as possible but… Yarel's plead wasn't an unreasonable one. She still wanted to keep her only living friends near her in these terrifying times and if he'd have to give this small favor to the thinclaws, it was one she was willing to give them.

"I promise that, Yarel. But we should go get her and get moving. If the swimmer was right, it shouldn't be long until we find my family even with your sister's pace. I'm sure they'll find at least some way to help Greentail too. I'm sure of it. Let's tell her the news and get on the move!" Ruby said, waving Yarel to follow her. The boy answered with a careful smile before he turned his gaze behind him, hoping beyond hope that Ruby's optimism wasn't based on false hope. After looking at the slowly freezing sky water, Yarel took a brief sigh before he begun to follow Ruby into the chilly, slowly darkening night.

 **To their immense relief, the three omnivores have a clear destination once again and Ruby and Yarel's quarrels seemed to have been resolved for now. However, their journey is still unfinished and the coming chill and the uncertain situation hardly promise good for their upcoming search… This chapter's release was delayed by a few days because I had to do some planning for the story's future but I believe I'm back on track now. So, without further words, I hope you'll enjoy this installment!**

 **Allison: Well, I'm doing my best in proofreading the chapters but it seems like there are always a few typos I miss. In any case, I'm glad to hear you like this story and thank you for your review!**

 **The Rhombus: Yeah, Petrie has a lot to learn about his new life and the ever more developing situation within the flyer herd certainly forces him to adapt into their rather harsh rules. As for Pterano, you're completely right about him. While he still shares some same ideals as before, he fully understands the faults of his earlier actions and the visions of what could have happened in the seventh film if everything had went wrong still haunt him. As for Petrie, the theory you said is also an interesting and good way to see his situation. Petrie is certainly concerned about what he is becoming but for now, survival and finding acceptance are his foremost interests.**

 **Nimbus01: It's great to see another, extremely detailed review from you also! Peak indeed is a rather complex character and his true intentions are a mystery to most of the other flyers but I'm afraid I cannot reveal too much of his motives just yet. However, they, too, will be elaborated further in the coming chapters…**

 **I'm glad that you liked Ruby's encounter with the sharpteeth as a lot of tension was certainly building on that chapter. It was certainly a miracle that the fast runner managed to survive and the fact that the disaster struck just as the three omnivores were finally embracing their friendship. As a consequence, nothing will ever be the same for the trio, especially for Greentail, as we see in this chapter. Anyway, thank you for your kind words about that installment!**

 **Edit on 2/9: I'm sorry for the long wait but I'm having some problems with planning this story's future. It turned out there's still a lot of plot points I have to decide before I go on with this fic but it certainly isn't on "hiatus" as I work on it every day. Unfortunately, I highly doubt I'll be able to release any chapters in February but I'm hopeful I'll be able to resume my earlier pace next month. I apologize for this pause but I hope I can make it up later on. :)**


	23. The Peace That Ran Out Of Time

**The Peace That Ran Out of Time**

The pale light of the rising Night Circle shined upon a small patch of green in the middle of dry, wide plains. Only the distant call of a fast runner and the small creepers in the ground penetrated the calm of the Mysterious Beyond, a state of affairs that was by no means unpleasant to its denizens. The creeping cold had taken its toll on this place, too, but it was a great improvement from the flyer herd's previous stop, at least to the young boy who was slowly flying below the canopy of the small forest, the fatigue unable to hide his enthusiasm about this evening. A careful smile fought to make its way into his face as he approached the place where he was meant to meet his new friends. The day's long flight had tired him once again but the promise of this meeting had given him the courage to go on. Many thoughts were flowing through Petrie's mind as he looked at the bushes and grass-covered ground below him.

 _Oh, Petrie hope everything go well tonight! Ortin will still be sad but maybe he in better condition than yesterday! Me just hope Glide hasn't changed her opinion about Petrie and will still be willing to be there! Me will see it soon and hopefully nothing bad will happen today._

Every movement and gesture Petrie made while flying mirrored his excitement and even slight nervousness but to his luck, the forest's edge soon opened below him. He and Pterano had chosen to sleep by a small stream in the slightly more hillier region of the woodland not far from the others and to the boy's relief, his uncle had mostly signaled mere happiness when he had told about Ortin and Glide.

However, those thoughts were swept away when he suddenly saw a familiar form standing on a large rock in the distance. Her rather large crest and wide wings revealed her to be Glide and after a few seconds, he also spotted Ortin's slightly smaller form talking to her from the ground. Petrie cringed slightly at this knowledge, highly lamenting the fact that he was the last to arrive but at least the two seemed to be in somewhat good spirits. That was a relief as Petrie had feared either of them had faced new hardships on this day. Luckily, that didn't seem to be case. With a quick dive, Petrie dashed towards the rock Glide was standing on but he slowed his speed just in time to complete his landing smoothly. He then spoke in a high and excited voice which he tried to calm down somewhat just in case the duo's sentiments were heavier than he had thought from up the air.

"Hi to you both! Me hope Petrie didn't keep you waiting for too long!" He said as he looked at the two other flyers' eyes turn to him. To his slight worry, Glide seemed somewhat unsure by something whereas Ortin's eyes were weary with lingering pain. It was the girl who answered to him first.

"Oh, hi, Petrie. We have been here only for a short time so it's alright." From the corner of her eyes, she could see that Ortin, too, wanted to greet Petrie so she passed her turn to speak to her friend. Ortin scratched the corner of his as he talked, his voice confirming what Petrie had seen earlier.

"We all survived this day so I guess everything's well enough. However, this day hasn't been really easy for either of us but it's much better than yesterday, at least." He said in a tired voice but Petrie could see from his half-open eyes and drooping limbs that this wasn't the ordinary exhaustion, rather it was the kind of mental pain that could be expected from anyone in this situation. Petrie looked at them with some concern as he realized that his unlimited optimism was probably premature. He took a small pause, frowning slightly as he prepared to answer.

"Petrie glad to hear that. These things never leave us easily but… we just have to live with them. Petrie has seen it before but… there no reason to think about them the whole time. It better to have something else to think at least for a moment." Petrie said, willing to make his point clear as, despite his sympathies for Ortin in this terrible situation, he simply wanted to see him cheer up for a moment. However, the other boy's other frown rose slightly while his face seemed rather unmoved.

"I know but it's much easier to say than actually do. I'm sorry but I'm not sure whether I can play today." That comment earned concerned looks from Glide and Petrie but to the latter's surprise, the girl seemed as unhappy with that exclamation as he was. She tried to reason with her friend as she had also hoped for a more light-hearted and friendly evening than the previous one.

"I don't know how you feel, Ortin, but we cannot keep dwelling in that pain for the rest of our lives. You deserve to at least try to resume your life, that's what your dad would have wanted." Glide said as she looked glumly at her friend but Petrie, despite all the tragedy he had gone through during his life, understood that simply trying to comfort a grief-stricken friend wasn't enough to encourage them to move on with their lives. He knew that having someone to listen was extremely important but a true friend would also strive to make the another one to see the good in this world and to appreciate their presence in more ways than as merely mirrors of their own pain. And that was one part of friendship Petrie was very good at. The flyer suddenly took off from the stone he had been standing on and spoke in a more cheerful voice while making a few loops to try to make the two join him in the games he had already been preparing for.

"But life be more than all doom and gloom, Ortin! Sometimes the best way to get over bad times is to merely play and try to have fun! It not always easy but it for your own good! Just try to catch Petrie and you will already feel much better!" The young flyer said as he suddenly turned around and headed towards the heights and the stars which cast their tiny light all around the dry landscape. Ortin looked at Glide with clear bother, not knowing how to respond to the other boy's sudden display of cheer and mental ease. Some part of his mind wanted to join Petrie in the endless skies but his head nearly ached with stress and endless mourning and his wings felt heavy, as if he was carrying stones upon them.

However, the other part of him wished to relax for even a short while and to forget his misery for even a short while. The sorrow had dominated his life ever since his great loss and in a way, every moment he hadn't spent with his friends had felt extremely distressing and difficult to go through. Maybe there was some wisdom within Petrie's words after all and it wouldn't hurt to try to comply to his simple request. He looked at Glide for a moment and the girl put on an appreciating smile, clearly encouraging him to do as Petrie said. She, too, wanted to have some fun after these long, dark days. Ortin then turned his gaze to the skies and took a brief sigh before concentrated all of his willpower to flapping his wings and after great efforts, he felt his feet rise from the hard, rocky ground. He then opened his mouth and spoke in an extremely forced and unsure voice which still showed his appreciation to his new friend.

"Be careful what you wish for, Petrie! You won't get far!" He cried as he started to head towards the other flyer quickly. Chase the Wind, as this game was called among the flyers, wasn't his favorite but it could be amusing enough in the case Petrie had more tricks in sleeve in addition to the ones he had used against Glide during their contest. Seeing that the situation had started to ease somewhat, Glide followed her friend's lead and joined the game.

Petrie was more than excited to see that his plan seemed to be working and he immediately turned his gaze forward in order to keep the distance with him and the two other flyers. He kept his pace somewhat slow as he knew it would be a good idea to let the two gain on him and eventually to reach him in order to get the game really going. The flyer could still feel some awkwardness in the atmosphere but he could feel it growing less pronounced by the minute. With any luck, things might get even better once his companions truly got absorbed into the chase.

Petrie smiled with a playfully malicious expression as he once again gazed behind him, looking with a content expression as Glide overtook Ortin whose flight still seemed extremely difficult and heavy-looking. The trio were now flying far from the ground and even after the briefly oppressive moment with Ortin, the boy breathed in relief as the cool wind blew to his face. He now welcomed it as his dear companion as the cold breath, accompanied by the sight of a beautiful horizon opening below him, took him to his next adventure. And now he even had new friends with whom he could share wonderful gift of flight and with any luck, no further tragedy would be heading his way anytime soon. Feeling that the air was growing slightly too heavy and freezing for him, he quickly turned around and dashed towards his two friends, trying to take them off guard while also giving them a chance to get closer to him if they could read the situation right. However, he didn't have the slightest of ideas how well one of the other two could counter his playful gambit.

Ortin's eyes still seemed to simply gaze into the horizon, unable to give up to the childish joy that he, to his deep regret, hadn't been able to share with many flyers due to the status of his family as well as well as his difficult relationship with the kinds like Hoist. However, Petrie's surprising move quickly opened his eyes wide as the prospect of him being able to catch the other boy seemed to become a much closer prospect. He followed closely as Petrie's plunge suddenly started to stabilize just before he'd reach his two chasers but little did he know that he wasn't the only one who could use the air currents to his advantage.

Seeing he direction which Petrie was now heading towards, Ortin concentrated all of his attention to trying to see the conflicting, overlapping winds in the air as his father had always taught him. In order to keep any sharpteeth or other enemies as far as possible, he would have to try to maintain a more favorable situation in the sky as it would provide him with the key to either escape or to take the fight to his opponent. In this case, Petrie might be able to forge a great speed with his sudden dive but to his misfortune, the forest, which the other boy was quickly approaching, would block most of the wind and potentially leaving him a calm mass of air, making it easy for someone to reach him.

 _It's time to teach you a lesson, Petrie! You may be good but I'm still better, you'll see!_

Ortin thought as he suddenly dashed left, preparing to head towards the direction which would give him the best advantage. To his immediate relief, he could see that he was right. A powerful if short-lived gust was just forming in there which Ortin used to his best advantage. Petrie looked in surprise and astonishment as the other boy approached him with a great speed, making it impossible for the brown flyer to try to avoid the inevitable. After a few seconds, Ortin finally reached Petrie and with an almost happy smirk yelped as he flew past his new friend.

"You're it, Petrie! You should try to keep a keener eye on the wind!" He said but to his immediate shock and slight chagrin, it was only a few, ephemeral moments, he felt another gust of air above him before he saw Glide's familiar face appearing before him. She chuckled with some amusement before she spoke his taunts to her friend.

"And you have to keep a keener eye on us, Ortin! You never paid any attention to where I was!" She said as she suddenly turned upwards, attempting to gain more altitude before either Petrie or Ortin had the time to react to her surprise move. Petrie looked at the duo's moves in surprise while feeling genuine happiness for the first time in many, long days. It was as if some great burden was lifted from his shoulders after the countless, heartbreaking moments he had been forced to go through lately. He was more than happy to have other flyers to play with him as his time with his siblings had always been a difficult one and he had never had the time to have a lighthearted time with them. Petrie took another mischievous smile before he reached towards the heights after his friend.

"Good move, Glide! Ortin never knew what was coming!" He cried while suddenly cringing at a mass of cold air he flew through while the other boy looked at Petrie with a careful grin.

"I never expected her to follow me like this! Prepare to get squashed, Glide!" He said while looking at the girl with a joking face. Glide looked at her chasers while deciding it was time to make things really interesting. With a sudden twitch, she turned on her back and before either of the other flyers had time to react, she headed towards the ground but only to rise again in a similar angle, forming a full circle while only increasing her speed.

Ortin and Petrie looked at the display in approval but the two then nodded at each other, clearly having something in mind. The two suddenly headed towards the opposing sides of Glide who looked at them with some puzzlement and worry but before she had a real time to react, the two suddenly entered a powerful current in the air and headed towards her with astonishing speed. However, just before they reached her, Petrie moved downwards and Ortin upwards before their paths crossed around Glide, taking the girl off-balance and sending her spinning a few times around and even causing her to plunge downwards for a good distance before finally regaining her balance. She then looked at the laughing boys in mock outrage before she cried to them again.

"Hey, this game wasn't supposed to be a team chase! I'll show you both!" She said, causing the duo to spread out again. The amazing displays of skill and bravery continued on for a long time, giving the trio a chance to observe at each other's strengths while also allowing them a lot of time to finally get to know each other in the depth they knew each other to deserve. For Petrie, it was the fulfillment of his initial hopes in his new herd, while Glide and especially Ortin were more than happy to have something else to think beside their personal drama. Each of them could only hope that this evening would be a harbinger of the good days to come. The innocent games continued well into the night until all of the three finally realized how heavy and weary their limbs were slowly growing. The first of three to land was Ortin who watched eagerly at his friends follow him. Even through the inescapable cold grip in his heart, he couldn't help but feel some warmth returning to him as Glide landed beside him and Petrie followed her very shortly. Ortin inhaled the cool breeze which briefly flushed beside him and said eagerly to his friends.

"Good going! We've never done such awesome tricks together before, Glide! That was really great!" He said as he looked at Glide pant slightly due to her fatigue. Petrie was the first one to answer as he, too, was beyond amazed at how well this initially-awkward night had ended.

"Me think so too! Petrie had a really great time and me could see you did too! Thanks a lot for this night!" The boy said as he yawned inwardly, looking with a wide smile as it was clear that it was clear that it would soon be time for the three to go their own ways. Glide, however, wasn't ready to part just yet. She raised her hands from her knees and spoke to her friends in a warm and deeply appreciating voice.

"I really did, Petrie. Those tricks of yours were really neat even if you two played that dirty team work too many times! Still, that was pretty great and it even made… made me forget about my family and tomorrow. I just wish I could do it again." Her beak turned into a cringe as the girl raised her look towards the sky, apparently hoping for something to happen. Petrie and Ortin exchanged brief glances before the latter one asked carefully, frowning heavily as the words left his beak.

"Glide… you've mentioned your family many times as if you don't like them. What's your problem with them?" He asked, deeply wondering what was going on in his friend's life. Now that he thought about it, Ortin couldn't help but feel he should have asked this question earlier but on the other hand, Glide hadn't truly taken up the subject earlier. Now, however, he felt was a good time to learn what was going on in his old friend's mind. Glide glanced at Ortin with some worry and seemed to hesitate for a short while. However, after seeing Ortin's concerned look and Petrie's conflicted face, she decided it would be time for her to speak.

"I wouldn't want to bother you with my little worries but… it's my mom and dad. I don't know why but they have decided that I'm a lazy slacker and I'll have to do much more work to become the kind of daughter they want to! It was alright for a long time but in the past weeks nothing seems to be enough for them! Especially after I lost to you, Petrie. They demand me to take the worst wind on our flights and to skip our breaks because they think I don't work hard enough! What kind of crap is that!" Glide suddenly kicked a small rock lying on the ground and cringed heavily as the pain slowly crept up her feet. It was clear that this was something that bothered Glide heavily and it didn't take a lot of thought for Petrie to draw parallels to his own past. However, he decided to answer simply to give the girl some encouragement in her situation.

"B… but why? Petrie can see you a very good flyer as you showed again this night! This not make any sense!" Petrie stuttered as he tried to come to terms with the tale he had just heard. He knew more than well that parents could sometimes demand too much from their kids but Glide's situation simply didn't seem to be logical in any way. She was a stronger and quicker flyer than many others he had seen in his life. He could see Glide shrugging briefly before Ortin continued from where the other male had left off.

"Yeah, that's just stupid! Haven't they noticed you've passed the tests far better than many others?!" Ortin said as he looked at Glide who returned an equally dark gaze. She answered shortly in a low and thoughtful voice.

"Well, that's not enough! Mom says she was always the fastest flyer of her herd when she was my age and dad's apparently decided that I'm just not good enough. He was furious when three others beat me at one last year's test and both of them have told me not to fail that badly at this Cold Time's test! Just thinking about it makes me… ouch!" Glide once again kicked at another rock but this time it was large enough that she immediately grabbed her foot in a futile effort to alleviate the pain. Petrie would have smiled at the nearly comic display but there was another thing in his mind.

"What test you talking about? Petrie never heard of such things!" The young flyer asked in deep wonder, prompting a hollow and joyless answer from Glide. She was, once again, slightly surprised to hear Petrie knew nothing of the herd's customs but the reality returned to her mind quickly.

"They are organized every Cold and Warm Time to put the young herd members' skills to a test. They are the best time for us to show our best to our parents but even more, to other kids. Nothing really comes out of them but the worst flyers won't be really popular in the following weeks which forces each of us to do our best." Glide's head was buried between her arms and it was clear her thoughts were far from those trials but they immediately invoked familiar memories within Petrie. He was somewhat surprised to hear flyers everywhere shared similar traditions and after all the relaxed and joy-filled moments in the sky, Petrie, for the first time in days, spoke without thinking about his words beforehand. And that proved to be a mistake he'd regret soon enough.

"Gee, that sound almost like the Great Day of the Flyers but we only did that once. Petrie…" Completely lost within his newfound sense of safety, Petrie only realized the implications of his words until he heard Ortin's sharp voice interrupt his words.

"The Great Day of the Flyers? B… but that kind of joke is only organized in very few places and certainly not among lonely families in the wastes!" Ortin narrowed his eyes and realizing what he had done, a cold needle seemed to penetrate Petrie's heart. He took a few steps back and started to stutter, trying to find words that could save the situation. Petrie's hands trembled in fear as he looked at Ortin's eyes. How could he have done this? Everything had went so well and then he had done the worst mistake possible! The next remark only worsened the boy's growing panic.

"In fact, I think I once heard it is only a thing in the Great Valley these days as only those wimps there think flying in a line is of some use! Why have you taken part in that, Petrie?" Petrie's breathing quickened as his gaze fell to the ground. He would have wanted nothing more than to sink into the ground in order to avoid the inquisitive eyes of his two companions. To simply hope that the last minute had never happened. _Oh no no! Why did Petrie say that! What can me do…?_

No matter what, the flyer realized there was no escape from this situation, regardless of what he did from this point on. And every moment he simply stood still staring in shock would only make his mistake more apparent. Petrie took one, deep breath before he did his absolute best in trying to sound honest in his next words.

"Me… me think Petrie heard about that day when we found someone from the Valley lost in the surrounding cliffs and for some reason, me just thought about…" No matter how much he had wanted to believe otherwise, even the boy himself realized his words wouldn't have convinced even a yellowbelly. The only thing he could do from now on was to listen Ortin's chilling and highly worrying words.

"Sure! And I'm actually an old hidden runner who just happened to join a flyer herd! You're from the Valley, aren't you, Petrie? I always thought your "past" didn't sound too believable." Ortin's accusing stare seemed to finally break up the last vestiges of Petrie's confidence but he still attempted to create one, final defense for himself.

"No! Me never even heard about the Valley. Uhh, Petrie mean…" The flyer backed down even more when he realized he had just spoken against his former claim. He felt increasingly sickened by the fact that he had not only compromised his friendship with the two with his mistake and also his uncle as well. One moment he had been happier than in ages and now everything seemed to be falling apart once again. Petrie's face was a mask of fear as he turned to look at Glide whose look was even more hostile than Ortin's.

"I can't believe we were fooled this long! I should have known a worthless fool when I see one. The Valley is a joke and so are all of those who live there! Let's go, Ortin. We have nothing to tell this moron anymore." Glide turned dismissively around and prepared to take off but the next voice she heard stopped her momentarily. It belonged to Petrie who was approaching her in an effort to try to save at least some of the terrifying situation.

"No, Glide! It true, me come from the Valley, but me had no choice! Petrie come here only because uncle Pterano thought me better of here than alone! Me so sorry for all this." Petrie's head fell completely as the apology left his lips. To his tiny relief, Glide's wings relaxed somewhat, signaling she still wasn't leaving, but it still hardly meant everything was fine. The female waited for a few seconds before answering and when she did, she didn't even turn to look at Petrie.

"You know what, Petrie: I don't care. The Valley and its denizens have always been something a true flyer should never become and their flyers are an insult to us who actually have to work to survive in this world! And that includes you! Ortin, what are you waiting for!?" The sudden revelation seemed to infuriate Glide beyond measure and the sight of Ortin looking around himself in deep conflict only further annoyed her. Petrie had lied and deceived the two for days and Ortin still thought about what to do? What could he possibly be thinking about?

Ortin would have wanted nothing more than to follow his old friend but this whole situation was something he hadn't been prepared for. Petrie had betrayed him and the rest of the herd and it was true he despised everything about the lazy, self-righteous flyers of the Valley. His father had told about the one time he had visited it in his youth and the few flyers living there had acted like they were the only ones who truly knew how to become a flyer worthy of the legendary leaders of the past. They had mocked and insulted his father for thinking the skills he had learned far in the Mysterious Beyond were nothing when compared to their own misguided traditions like, the Great Day of the Flyers. The fact that Petrie was a part of that sickening group of dinosaurs brought great anxiety on him, too, but even then, he couldn't close the other part of his feelings away.

Despite this revelation, Petrie had proven himself a capable flyer and a trustworthy friend. He had been the only one who had come to comfort him on that horrid morning two days ago and even on this evening, Petrie had found way to lift him up from his earlier melancholy and anxiety. This was the same flyer who had given him hope of ever getting over the biggest tragedy of his life but here he was, completely caught of lying to the herd and also infiltrated their ranks from the very place many flyers despised above all else. No matter how much he hated what he was going to say, there were no alternatives to it. Not at this point, at least. The young boy's teeth hurt as he gritted them together and after a few moments, Ortin found the courage to open his beak to answer to the other flyer.

"You should have told us about it earlier, Petrie. The Valley is one place no one among us can stand and I know dad would have agreed with Glide. I don't like this but Hoist and the others would be overjoyed to find we would be friends with someone from the Valley. See you tomorrow, Glide." And with those words, the two dinosaurs took to the air, leaving the flyer they had a few minutes earlier called their friend standing alone in the darkness. Silent sobs could be heard in the black plain as Petrie was left to face the new reality, alone and forsaken.

* * *

The Bright Circle slowly crept over the distant horizon, signaling the end of the cold and clear night. Any dinosaur that would have been there to observe it paint the wide plains golden with its light would have been enamored by the sight even if the rays were unusually cool in these early days of the coming Cold Time. However, every one of the flyers used the little time they had to rest as thoroughly as they could and none of them awoke before the world turned bright again. Lenel was one of the first flyers to awake into the new morning. The first thing he did in the waking world was to scratch his back which itched annoyingly after the long sleep. Apparently he had been sleeping on some kind of cone but it mattered little to the pale flyer as he rose up from the ground.

His eyes moved instinctually to look at the rest of the herd and his gaze was seemingly concerned. The past days had only been a continuation to his worries that things weren't going the way he had hoped. Despite his long and never-ending efforts to create trust between the groups that had joined together to form this new herd, it was slowly beginning to look like it was all for naught. Peak still trusted no one but himself and Nira wanted very little to do with the others. Nimble seemed genuine enough but in the end, could she be trusted either? As a further dent to his mood, thick clouds were gathering in the sky, potentially signaling the fall of the first ground sparkles of the Cold Time. That fact would hardly ease this day's flight. Lenel's lonely thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a rather low but clearly female voice behind him.

"Are you alright, dear? You seem to be waking earlier and earlier each day and you've seemed concerned lately. Is it the others?" Lenel took a deep breath as he turned around to face his mate who had just risen to her feet and looked at him, her eyes narrowed in an apparent show of worry. The male turned quickly to look at her but didn't bother to force any kind of confident look to his face. Lenel was anything but a proud and dutiful flyer but his beloved mate was one dinosaur in the world he didn't want to be dishonest with.

"Yes, Sireia. Peak has been a thorn on my side ever since we invited him to join with our herd but he's gotten much worse lately, especially since that old fool killed Wenan! An attack against any of the great families is a heinous crime but if he thinks he can try to sideline us others because of it, he is badly mistaken! We've always tried to get the others work as a team but he and the others are willing to let all of that go to waste because of one insane old flyer!" Lenel momentarily raised his voice before he realized his rising frustration. Sireia knew as well as him what was happening as the two had nearly always strived to work as one, sharing each other's tasks but also the rest of their lives. The female eyed at Lenel with a deep frown, full well understanding his frustrations. The two had long shared their hopes for the herd's unity and she knew all about the other leaders' fear for further integration.

"This isn't the first times things have been rough, Lenel. Peak has voiced his distrust towards us many times before but every time things have ended well enough." She said as he moved besides her mate to greet the new day. Lenel sighed slightly, not knowing how to best answer to her words. He didn't like the situation in the least as he thought about Peak's paranoia and Nira's seemingly dismissive attitude towards her peers. For many long Cold Times, Lenel had enjoyed his position and the love of her mate had always been there to comfort him. Now, however, the fights with the other herds and the four leaders' quarrels had grown more frequent and the light-colored flyer's usual calm demeanor was severely tested. In addition to that, this herd and its growing status among the other flyers of the world hadn't brought him any closer to finding the legendary treasure of his family, the fountain of eternal happiness his grandfather's mother had told him when he was but a hatchling. He shook his head slightly as he looked at the tan-colored female.

"This is far worse than those times, my love. It really feels like something's happening within Peak and that's the thing that really worries me. He has never shared our vision truly but never before has he tried to push us aside! Not to even speak that I haven't been able to find even the faintest of traces of my family's old charge! Not one of the other herds have been able to tell me anything about it, no matter how much I've searched for clues about my own birthright! Not even the smallest of remains of his story in twenty Cold Times! What a waste!" Lenel's breath quickened as the complete futility of his life's work flowed into his mind. All his life he had been trying to search the rumored source of his ancestor Olres the Famed's power. His wisdom and decisiveness were the source of many stories but these days nobody knew what gave him his power. Lenel's hands trembled as his frustrated mind yearned for an answer to that very question.

Sireia, on the other hand, turned to look at the Bright Circle which was slowly appearing from under the distant horizon and frowned deeply. She couldn't deny the truth in her mate's words as the two had gone through so much in their efforts in keeping the herd together and in trying to search for old tales about Olres' life. Ever since she and the pale flyer before her were hardly more than adolescents, they had shared those two goals in their lives and acted together in their efforts to reclaim the old glory of Lenel's ancestors. A goal few ordinary flyers, like her, would scorn at.

"Twenty Cold Times? Has it really been that long? At least I'd it hasn't been wasted at all! Look at this herd we have managed to gather! Very few flyers have been able to call three other herds together yet here we are, leading one of the largest herds in the Mysterious Beyond! And I'd never call these times we have shared wasted." The female said with a slight smile and grabbed slowly Lenel's hand who attempted to deny the gesture at first but gave those thoughts up very fast. He slowly turned to face his mate and sighed deeply. He would have wanted to rebuke her words with some another swear but the sight of Sireia's green eyes calmed him down somewhat.

"You're right. I wouldn't trade any of these days with you away but I just cannot give up chasing my goals as long as I live. I know you understand that. No matter what, I'll find Olres' secret and once I do, nobody will question our herd's worth in this world. Thank you for being here, Sireia. I couldn't do this without you." The two flyers joined hands and looked at each other in deep appreciation before the female answered softly.

"Don't forget that I agreed to help you on this path long ago. We'll solve this puzzle together, Lenel, and no one will stand in our way. Not Peak, not Nira, nor anyone else." Her words were resolute but they still carried the same softness to them as before. The two flyers' serene moment lingered for several moments before a distant screech took them back to the reality. Lenel looked into the distance with a clear look of weariness and the male's slight displeasure shined through his words.

"It's time for me to join the others in starting today's leg of our journey but don't worry: I'll join you again when I can." Lenel said with a wide smile, the Bright Circle shining right at his face. Sireia nodded to her mate in clear approval and answered to him shortly.

"I know, Lenel. Make sure to safeguard our herd's safety. I'll wait for you in the same spot as usual." The female said as she and her mate suddenly took off and headed towards their own directions. However, as quickly as he let left the ground, the dark thoughts and suspicion returned to the pale flyer's mind as he looked at the sight below him. With any luck, the herd's situation would stabilize before long but no matter what, its dissolution wouldn't be an option at this point. Lenel would make sure of that.

* * *

As Lenel had predicted, the weather grew far less pleasant as the day progressed. The cold but bright night gave day to a cloudy if somewhat warm day but those things only paved way for something few flyers would have wanted to see. The air was filled with huge, moist ground sparkles which hid absolutely any trace of the land below from the eyes of the migrating dinosaurs. They made flying more fatiguing and dangerous as usual as no one could know exactly their position in the grey sky.

Pterano's mind was filled with worry as a wide river opened far below him. The body of water was almost completely covered by the quickly dropping ground sparkles, a hazy sight that perfectly matched his own situation. Lenel had asked him to keep a close eye on the movements of Peak and Nira for reasons he could only guess. He had hoped the crisis was over but apparently there was still deep suspicion within the herd's leadership. However, his other concern was a much closer one to him. Petrie had seemed to be completely broken ever since the duo's awakening but the two hadn't had any time to discuss it before the herd started the day's journey. He knew Petrie had met with Ortin and Glide on the evening so he could only suspect something had gone wrong with them. He cleared his throat carefully and then asked the obvious question from his nephew.

"What went wrong last evening, Petrie? You know you can tell me whatever happened between you and Ortin and Glide."

The sudden question hit Petrie like it was a physical blow. The same, bitter thoughts were flowing in his mind over and over again and they were slowly turning into a banging headache. He had hardly had any sleep during the night and every time he had momentarily drifted into the waking world, the same mix of guilt and hate returned to the boy's thoughts. Petrie could only look before himself as he didn't even know who to blame for his newfound misery. _Glide and Ortin can get eaten by a sharptooth for all Petrie cares! How could they do that to someone who just tried to make things easier for everyone! If they think they so much better, Petrie can survive alone just as well!_

"Nothing anyone should know about, uncle. This all just so wrong! Me just wanted to play and get them better and… and then…" At this point, Petrie couldn't continue his sentence any further. His face had formed into an expression of hate, a kind which very few had never seen from his nephew before. Petrie felt the blood circle in his head as he did his best to avoid the urge to simply let out a loud screech. As if the last weeks hadn't been enough, now those two idiots think they are in any position to judge him! If he had been even a bit calmer, he would have noticed his reaction was a far cry from his Valley days. This change, however, wasn't lost on the older flyer. A deep worry started to form in Pterano's mind about what could have happened, considering this stark contrast to Petrie's former carefree attitude and Ortin and Glide's quick change of mind. There was only possibility that entered Pterano's mind after he heard those clues. If Petrie had blown his cover… Pterano merely shook his head in an effort to shake that possibility off his shoulders until this issue had been dealt with.

"Answer me honestly, Petrie. Did something happen between you three that gave the two any ideas about where you are from? I said that was…" Pterano was completely taken aback by Petrie's immediate rebuke to his uncle's question. As if the memory of that terrible moment wasn't enough, now Pterano was going to interrogate him for these things? Petrie's answer was more like a pained retort which momentarily drew the answer of a few surrounding flyers.

"So what if me did?! That still not give them any reason to…" Seeing the gazes turn to him and his nephew, the light-brown male did something neither he nor Petrie had expected, even less wished for. Pterano hit the younger flyer sharply to his cheek, silencing him immediately. It took a moment for Petrie to regain his balance and even more to realize what had happened but before he managed in that aim, he could feel his uncle's claws closing around his beak. This wasn't something the flyer had ever expected to happen but before he had the time to object, Pterano hissed sharply, his wish to silence his nephew more than clear.

"Be silent, Petrie! Do you want everyone to know the truth? It's bad enough that you told it to Ortin and Glide so, for Bight Circle's sake, don't make things any worse!" The older male kept his voice somewhat low in order not to draw any more attention to him at this point. Even in this situation, Pterano felt terrible for forcing to silence his nephew like this but he simply didn't have a choice. Only the most trustworthy flyers were to be told the truth and the only one Pterano had ever told of his past was his benefactor in the herd, Lenel. To the older flyer's slight hope, however, it seemed like neither of Petrie's friends had spread the word either. Petrie immediately started to struggle to escape his uncle's grasp which the older flyer allowed soon enough. The boy immediately resumed his attack on his uncle the moment he could open his beak again.

"Never do something like that again! Petrie…" The young flyer barely had the time to begin forming his answer before a terrifying, ear-tearing screech could be heard from the sides of the herd. Petrie didn't even have the time to ask what was happening before a group of other flyers suddenly hit the herd's left wing, not too far from the duo. The group of flyers were completely surrounded by the heavy, merciless barrage of falling sky sparkles, making it impossible to even see the other parts of the herd itself. The weather wasn't particularly cold which only helped create the perfect cover for a deadly ambush. The entire situation exploded the moment two of three of the dinosaurs who had been calmly flying a few seconds before begun to drop to the ground, their chests, wings and necks sliced open by the attackers. Pterano cried to his nephew, knowing his survival could very well be a matter of seconds.

"Move to the herd's center, now! We'll keep you safe! Go, Petrie!" The flyer cried, dearly hoping his nephew would heed his advice. He didn't have the time to see if the boy did as he was told as the herd had to form their defensive circle without any delay. Even if he would have wanted to ensure Petrie's safety, he knew he'd do it better by following the orders he had been given for situations like these.

Petrie, on the other hand, looked in growing panic as the world around him turned into a complete fuss. What in earth was happening? Who was attacking the herd? Where had his uncle gone? Where should he go? Everywhere around him groups of flyers were appearing from the seemingly impenetrable whiteness and disappear again after a few seconds. No matter what, he'd have to do as his uncle had told him but where was "the center" of the herd? Cries of pain could be heard everywhere around him and the flyer knew his time was running out quickly. With a sigh of deep worry, Petrie immediately turned downwards and disappeared into the cold mist.

* * *

Nimble looked in growing fear and anger as another of the flyers started her long drop to the ground near her. The aging female joined the slowly strengthening line of defense but the swift, brutal manner in which this attack had been executed shocked her beyond measure. Fights between different flyer herds weren't that rare, true, but usually they held at least some meaning. This seemed merely like a brief raid against an opponent which was in no way ready to defend themselves, something most flyers despised beyond measure. But the reason for this attack mattered little: now she and her fellow leaders would only have to get their lines together and push the cowardly attackers back and find out who led them and bring him or her to justice. This was her duty to those who had already fallen to this shameful ambush.

"Take the fight to them, my friends! They will never win this fight with those numbers!" Nimble cried, struggling to raise her voice over the wailing wind. She could hear cries here and there but what worried her the most was the lacking of her peers' commands. It was as if they weren't anywhere nearby her at this point. She needed their help in order to get the situation under control quickly enough. She turned around to face two of her most trusted followers: Longcrest, her revered tracker who had helped to find the flyer who had killed Peak's cousin a few days ago, and a younger-blue colored male called Kero. She glanced at the latter first and wasted no time in giving her orders.

"Call Peak and the wing he's leading here, now! We can win this this but for that, I need all the help I can get! Longcrest, ensure that Lenel and Nira are also on their way!" The younger deputy nodded quickly before he headed to the direction where Peak was supposed to be. Neither did Longcrest waste any time before he headed to execute his superior's order. Nimble frowned as she caught a grip on his opponent's wing. Without any second thoughts, she pulled her opponent and made him lose his balance, a short moment which allowed her to bring an end to this small duel. No matter what, this was a fight she was planning to win.

* * *

The quickly escalating chaos was one that had truly got Peak off-guard. Suddenly, assuming by the cries and terrifying mess, the left wing of the herd had fallen under attack but that display awakened little will to help within Peak. The aging leader looked into the raging symphony of falling sky sparkles in slight hesitation as he prepared to address his followers. No matter what, this wasn't a situation where it was a good idea to make brash decisions. The incoming attack could be only a diversion to open a way for the attackers to strike in the back of the herd. Peak was clearing his throat in preparation for his orders when he saw a young male flyer flying towards him with a terrifying speed. Peak immediately raised his right hand, a mark for his deputies to stop the invader. For all he knew, the newcomer could be a mere failed assassin. He looked in anticipation until the young flyer had been stopped before he demanded in a stern voice.

"Did you come here to kill me or what business do you have with me?" The bad visibility and heat of the moment prevented Peak from recognizing the other flyer immediately but his answer refreshed Peak's memory quickly. The younger male's voice was in the borderline between alarmed and pleading but those qualities did very little to soften Peak's cold look.

"What is this, Peak? I'm Kero, one of Nimble's most trusted servants! Her group is under attack and she demands your immediate help! She is in risk of being outnumbered and our victory could depend on mere seconds!" The flyer pleaded as Peak waved his deputies to release the messenger as his name immediately reminded him of the other dinosaur's identity. Peak frowned at those news but the messenger's words did very little to alleviate his doubts. He had to keep Nimble's rear secure just in case another group of enemies was in the way and besides, Peak didn't even trust in what the messenger was saying. For all he knew, Nimble could have been behind Wenan's murder and she could well be planning something against him with this request. His next words were ones that shocked even his own deputies who had been looking at him with an expecting look.

"You know as well as I do that we have to prepare for the most surprising moves our opponents can throw at us, Kero. Our herd stands as one but in case of attacks like these, it is every wing of it for its own. I trust in your capabilities to repel this attack by yourself." Peak had hardly any time to cross his arms after he concluded his answer when one of his own deputies shouted at him in a disbelieving voice.

"P… Peak? It is our duty to help them! They're our fellow herd members, for goodness' sake! Surely you didn't mean…" The female deputy was asking in disbelief before her superior cut her rant short. Peak turned to look at her with an angered look, his eyes communicating his stance was final. Peak's words dipped with poison as he prepared to silence the chorus of surprise and wordless condemnation all around him.

"I meant exactly what I said! Ever since Nimble stood with Lenel against me and Nira in an effort to call that worthless Karel's joke of a herd amongst us, I've always suspected something was wrong and my cousin's murder proved it! I'm not going to fall for another trap!" The orange flyer cried, killing any opposition to his words immediately. He could still feel confusion among his deputies and Peak knew he was taking massive risk with his decision. If his suspicions proved to be false, he could be charged with causing the deaths of some of Nimble's followers in case something went wrong. However, that was a risk Peak was willing to take in the light of the recent events. He had lost all the trust he had had towards his fellow leaders, including Nimble. The messenger stared at the older flyer in deep shock and disbelief. This wasn't a possibility he had been prepared for as a fellow herd member refusing to aid the others was something that he had thought to be completely unthinkable. Shortly after Peak's answer, he spoke to the higher-ranked dinosaur in an almost pleading voice.

"But she needs your help! We may not lose this battle but the lives of many of our friends are in your hands! Please reconsider this, Peak!" The young male asked, his every gesture telling of the deep disgust he held at this whole meeting. To his overwhelming disappointment, however, Peak's position changed little when he answered.

"This audience is over! Tell Nimble that she has my complete trust that she can handle this problem herself! Now, go!" Peak turned around to implicate that he had spoken his last word. It took every last bit of the messenger's willpower to not attack the higher-ranked flyer but he knew it would only make matters worse. He started to flap his wings faster when he spoke one last time before returning to his leader.

"You've made a terrible mistake, Peak. Nimble and the others won't forget this." And with those words, the young flyer turned around and headed towards the direction of the center of the horrifying fight.

* * *

The flyer's eyes scanned the sight around him in complete fear, not willing to believe what he was seeing. Everywhere dinosaurs, both friends and foes, were falling from the skies and the ferocity of the assault was nothing Pterano had ever seen. And worst of all, he didn't have the least of ideas what the enemy was aiming for as they'd never break the defenders' ranks as the attacking herd was barely one-third in size as compared to his own. No matter how he looked at it, Pterano couldn't see any sense in this bloodshed but of that mattered little. All that mattered was a brief end to this fight, a prospect for which he was offered a chance to help soon enough.

Out of the nearly impenetrable haze suddenly appeared another flyer which clearly attempted to conclude her assault as quickly as possible. To the newcomer's disappointment, however, her opponent was far from an easy-to-trick novice who could be taken out with one swing. With a quick move, he dodged the attack and even managed to cause one, small scratch to the attacker's thigh as he dived below her. Pterano felt sick at having to resort to violence against a fellow flyer but he wasn't given a choice in the matter. This small moment of repositioning allowed Pterano to get a better look at his opponent. She was much younger than Pterano, however, and despite her attempts to get through his opponent's defenses with brute force, Pterano managed to stand his ground. The bluish flyer seemed to grow frustrated and it was at this moment when Pterano knew his initial defense had succeeded. Young flyers often felt like they were capable of anything and it was clear that she was more than eager to prove himself to his superiors at any cost.

The older flyer looked with some amusement as the other combatant's efforts to gain the upper hand suddenly intensified considerably. She suddenly threw himself upwards, trying to head straight for Pterano's throat and to send him down from the sky once and for all. All of the younger dinosaur's efforts were concentrated on getting Pterano off-guard and on using brute strength to ending this fight once and for all. However, this was exactly what the older fighter was counting on. He had seen many fights during his life and if there was one thing he had learned from them was to keep his mind calm in any situation and that was the knowledge that saved him from this fight also.

With one, decisive move, Pterano quickly lost some altitude and just as his opponent attempted attack his head, the brown flyer grabbed his opponent's other leg and pulled quickly downward. This took the other flyer off guard and sent her towards the ground quickly. However, Pterano knew she'd regain his balance before he'd reach the ground and with a heavy heart, quickly plunged after her and with one, powerful scratch the older flyer cut his opponent's chest open and the massive injury ended the young female's life within seconds.

Pterano took many, long gasps as he looked at the falling dinosaur, his mind heavy with the knowledge that he had just killed another dinosaur who was in many ways just like him and he couldn't help but remember his old deeds. However, he slowly turned his gaze upwards, suddenly remembering what was at stake here. Not only was his herd under attack but the attackers also threatened his nephew and his friends which was something he wasn't going to tolerate at this point. Volant would never forgive him if something happened to Petrie under his watch, not to mention the light brown flyer himself. His moment of self-reflection was suddenly interrupted by a call from another flyer above him.

"Don't just stay there, Pterano! Come help us, now! We are at a risk of being overrun!" The speaker suddenly turned to repel another enemy's attack and Pterano suddenly realized that he had no time for even the slightest of pauses here and with newly determined movements, Pterano headed to rejoin the battle. This cowardly assault had to be repelled at any cost.

* * *

The young boy's breathing resembled more like panicked rasps as he suddenly halted his terrified flight. After many long minutes of horrified rushes, he finally saw the large group of the herd's younglings before himself. Petrie felt like his heart was attempting to break away from its chest as he listened to the sounds of battle around himself, something that felt ghastly beyond measure. This was something out of his worst sleep stories, especially as his uncle was somewhere braving the surrounding carnage. Petrie couldn't even begin to think what would happen if Pterano didn't make it… However, his attention was quickly drifted away from his fears by a loud call from somewhere within the group.

"Stay still and try to keep calm! Whatever you do, don't leave the group!" The voice was silenced by the heavy ground sparkles falling to the ground but their meaning wasn't lost on anyone in the group. Not that anyone would have even had the courage to try to leave the safety of larger numbers at this point. None of those already gathered seemed to pay any attention to Petrie at this point, even Hoist, who was flying on Petrie's right side, seemed completely unwilling to cause any mayhem as even he couldn't deny the seriousness of the reality unfolding around the children and adolescents of the herd.

For a short moment, Petrie caught a glimpse of a familiar form in the terrified fuss in the center of the battleground. Glide's pale face flashed between two other flyers above Petrie and she was accompanied by another flyer. At first, Petrie bitterly thought it to be Ortin but this new flyer was larger than the other boy and his coloring was of far brighter blue. For a moment, Petrie thought about trying to approach the flyer he had thought of as his friend on the previous day but soon enough, he decided against it. If Glide thought of him as a mere weakling and a liar, so be it. He could forge his way ahead in his life completely without the self-righteous female's help and that was what the brown-colored flyer was planning to do.

Petrie suddenly raised his gaze to look to his right as an extremely pained screech rang across the hazy sky. That cry marked the end of another life, a knowledge which was more than enough to cause a chill of fear creeping down Petrie's spine. Petrie's expression turned into a worried cringe as a single thought formed in his mind. Somewhere around there his uncle was risking his life to believe the dinosaurs who had served as his family for many Cold Times but especially, him, his nephew.

 _Please, try to survive this fight, uncle. Petrie believe you strong and smart enough for this! Me believe in you!_

* * *

Steady streams of blood flowed across Nimble's body as she received another blow to her chest. The female gasped in pain at the power of the impact but she knew more than well there was no room for any kinds of moments of weakness in this fight. She looked in approval as one of her followers hit the attacking flyer to his head which managed to buy Nimble just enough time to finish her opponent off. However, the flow of enemies seemed incredibly discouraging to the flyer as she looked at the sight before her. More and more of the attackers were moving towards her, even risking being outflanked by the defenders in case they lost the initiative in the battle. Longcrest had told that Lenel and Nira were on their way but they were being held at bay by the attackers' flanks. The outcome of the battle was clear, however, and the enemy seemed merely intent on buying time for some purpose. Nimble was about to rejoin the fight when Kero suddenly appeared from the haze near her. Knowing time was of the essence, she suddenly demanded answers from her messenger.

"It took far longer than I had hoped! Well, how long until Peak arrives? Speak, now!" Nimble felt extremely uncomfortable looking at her battle being fought for her but she had to get the message. Despite his absolute misgivings of his message, Kero took a sigh and gave his report.

"It took a while to find him but I… I failed my task, Nimble. Peak declined your request." Kero nearly spit the last words from his mouth as he saw his leader's open wide with surprise and shock. The female's breaths grew increasingly unsteady as she answered to her aide in utter disbelief.

"What? He can see quite well the situation! He must help us or we will be crushed!" She cried as she looked at the battles near her. Kero merely shook his head before answering the question.

"He claimed that everybody is just waiting for a chance to betray him and destroy his family completely. I… I tried to speak sense to him but he didn't even listen to what I had to say. I… I'm sorry, Nimble." The male finished silently, unable to shake off the feeling that the failure to get help was somehow his doing. Nimble was about to answer when a sudden cry emanated near her.

"Another wave of attackers is breaking through! We need help, n…" The flyer's words were cut short as the group of two dozen attackers ended his struggles for good. During the span of a few seconds, this new group broke their enemies' defenses. Nimble looked at the sight in shock and to her ultimate surprise, they were heading straight towards her! Had the attackers been after her all along? Why?

Those questions were ones left for another time as the situation had turned from bad to worse in record time. For a moment, Nimble even thought of trying to flee in the wake of this attack but in that case, she could be stripped of her position and family's fame. A flyer of her stature had to act as a beacon of hope in the face of defeat and that was exactly what she was going to do. Besides, she had just enough followers to stand as chance of keeping the rest of her comrades' lines of collapsing before Lenel and Nira had the time to join the fight.

"Everybody who's not engaged in a fight right now, gather around me! Let' put an end to this outrage!" She cried as she looked at a group of flyers gather around her to face the rapidly advancing group of enemies. Knowing that she couldn't let them retain the initiative, she called her followers to meet them in a headlong charge. Among them was one certain orange flyer who was far from happy to answer this call to arms.

* * *

Pterano looked at the enemy group in fear as the moment of collision approached. The fight had seemed to drag on for hours on but luckily to him, only a few scars here and there reminded of this terrifying struggle. The light-brown male got some relief from the knowledge that the defenders had managed to keep the enemy at bay, and the children thus safe, but this small group of upstarts were threatening everything. No matter what, he wasn't going to let these bastards break the defense completely. He owed that much to Petrie and he would go to any lengths to ensure his nephew's safety.

* * *

The impact of the hit with the enemy was a ferocious one and Nimble cringed deeply in pain as he felt the enemy's claws sink into her chest. However, such hits wouldn't be enough to bring her down just yet. With one, powerful hit, she attacked her opponent's throat and tore it open before he poor flyer could even regain her defense. However, in this one, small fight, the enemy had a clear advantage. They had managed to keep most of the herds busy from helping her in this one struggle and the outcome of this fight would be decided by the fact how long the defenders could keep the invading flyers at bay. To the formers' misfortune, it seemed like the attackers were not going to give them any quarter in this fight.

"Attack the old female, now! Don't let her get away!" One of the flyers, apparently their leader, cried as he finished another one of his opponents. His words confirmed what Nimble had expected: for some, unknown reason, she was their target. All of this bloodshed was most likely because of her. However, she wasn't going to let this madness go on for any longer. This arrogant, sadistic upstart would face his equal right now and without his leadership, this battle would be over. Nimble waved two of her followers to come with her and she answered to the attacker soon after he had concluded.

"Flee now and maybe we will let you go alive, whoever you are! There has been enough bloodshed already!" The female tried one, last time even if she knew herself this effort was most likely futile. She wasn't surprised in the least when an expecting, mean-looking expression rose to the other leader's face. It was clear that he wouldn't be backing down from this challenge.

"It's such an honor to meet the flyer I've heard so much in person, Nimble. I see that your leadership has brought much joy to you." The dark-brown colored flyer said in mocking respect, something that only enraged Nimble further. Whoever this flyer was, it was clear that he wasn't going to give up his attack at this point. Nimble would have liked to attack him immediately but she realized that if she'd learn more of her enemy or even his name, she or her followers could bring him to justice in the future, no matter the outcome of this battle.

"These insults will get you nowhere, you bastard. Who are you and what made you start this nightmare? Speak!" Nimble spat her words which only earned a dry, emotionless glance from her opponent. The male waited for a moment before he answered in the same rather high and mocking voice as earlier.

"We'll see if you ever deserve to even know who I am. As for why I'm here, well, let's just say I'm here to pay some debts to one of your companions. It's rather ironic really, none of this has anything to do with you but you are the one who'll pay first! But enough talking! Attack!" Suddenly, the flyers surrounding the dark-colored male started to fly towards the small, remaining group of defenders which opened the way for their superior to engage Nimble without any threat of being outflanked by any of her followers.

Nimble frowned deeply as she looked at her opponent's followers losing ground and her but it mattered little as she was forced to face their leader in this fight. She cringed in fear as she saw her counterpart attack with a nearly manic-like ferocity and unlike most who resorted to merely attacking and quick victories, this mysterious flyer didn't make any real mistakes. No matter how much Nimble tried to search for any holes in his composure, there were no moves she could punish him for nor any opportunities to regain the momentum in the frantic duel. Nimble had fought countless battles in her life and she had learned to exploit her enemies' own strengths against them but this flyer seemed much more disciplined yet decisive than most of the opponents she had faced in her life. However, each flyer had his or her weakness in fight, a fact she had learned to never forget, no matter how dire the situation.

Blow after blow found their way through her defense but Nimble used those moments to observe at the flying patterns of the male to see if there were any chances for her to exploit some of his weaknesses. To her immediate relief and growing hope, she noticed that the other leader repeatedly relied on retaining the higher ground and making sure Glide was forced to stay on the defensive. Or so he thought. Nimble realized that his opponent's certainty of her incapability to counter his moves were her chance to break away from this terrifying grip of death.

Just as her attacker was about to strike another blow towards her, Nimble realized that her opportunity to turn the tide of the fight had come. The male was approaching her with his wings closely on his sides to get all the power he could gather to his attack and even if Nimble knew she couldn't deny the effectiveness of his fighting style, there was one thing she could try to win this one-on-one fight. She suddenly thrust herself steeply upwards and just as the male was adjusting his course to that of Nimble's, the lighter colored flyer did something her opponent hadn't expected in the least.

Her heart seemed to be bursting out of her chest as Nimble turned to meet her fellow leader's attack. She screamed in pain as the attacker's beak tore a deep, gaping wound into her side but she didn't forget her plan for a second. Just as the two were bypassing each other, Nimble turned around and for a moment, the male's neck opened before her. Only one thrust and the arrogant bastard who had caused so much death and tragedy would be sent on his final journey towards the ground which opened so far below the two leaders who knew that their lives were on the line here.

However, that one thrust never came. Just as Nimble had raised her claws to land the killing blow, she felt a mind-breaking pain emanating from her upper back, followed by quickly growing streams of warm liquid through her back. For a moment, Nimble felt like the shock would start her dead spiral but with herculean efforts, she could retain her position. Even then, the battle was all over. Even through the glazed stare of her fear-filled eyes, she realized she had already missed her chance to win the most important fight of her life and some cowardly bastard had caused her the decisive injury. Breathing deeply in shock, Nimble turned around to see a familiar face staring back at her.

"Longcrest! B… but how? You were one… one of my most trusted deputies. Why?" Those were the only words Nimble's frenzied mind could form as she looked at her highly respected tracker's eyes, which communicated nothing but contempt ant hate, glance at her in contempt and hate.

"I served you faithfully for a long time and all I got for it were disrespect and noble ideals which only led to us being tied to those three fools! You reduced our herd into our competitors' slave! I wanted to believe you'd become a wise leader in time but you proved me your weakness every time! I never wanted this to happen but our herd deserves better than this unreal, fake unity you brought us!" He cried just as the other male suddenly rose up and before Nimble could do anything, she could feel the other leader's claws on her throat. At this point, she knew it was all over. One of her most trusted deputies had deceived her for many Cold Times and she was at her enemy's mercy. The terrifying pain, however, mercifully blocked the most bitter thoughts on this darkest moment of her life. She could only listen in resignation as the other flyer behind her spoke one last time.

"Longcrest answered my call more readily than I had even hoped and I cannot blame him seeing how easy your herd was to divide and break. I had hoped that I wouldn't need his help but you put on a good fight, I'll give you that. But I said I might tell you my name, didn't I? Remember to tell Peak's cousin, Wenan was it, in the Great Beyond that Deron will make sure Peak will follow both of you soon enough." And before Nimble had any time to think about the implications of those words, Deron opened the veins in his opponent's throat, finally bringing the duo's fight to the end. Nimble's eyes were quickly dimmed by the cloud of death as she slowly fell to her back and begun her final plunge to the depths below. The flyer's wings fluttered in the chilly winds as her unseeing eyes were fixed on the skies he would never brave again. With one act from a traitor, the dinosaur who had once been one of the most trusted and beloved leaders of all the flyer herds was sent onto her last journey.

Deron looked at Nimble disappear into the clouds below and on that moment, he knew his mission had been accomplished. He let out a loud whistle and in a matter of moments, all the remaining members of his herd turned around and with quick dashes, disappeared into the white curtain of falling ground sparkles before any of the defenders had any time to start a chase. Only moments after Deron's call, a silence of utter shock descended upon the herd as they knew they'd never catch the attackers in this impenetrable haze. The battle that all of those present had been drawn into against their will was over but in a way none of them would have wanted.

 **With the brutal assault in the snowstorm and Nimble's death, the herd's momentary relief has been completely crushed. How will the survivors react to the loss of one of their leaders and to the terrible consequences of Peak's pride? And how will Petrie adapt to his breakdown with the flyers he had thought of as his friends?**

 **I deeply apologize for the long gap since the last chapter, especially as it, too, was preceded by a longer pause. Truth be told, I had many problems with planning the future course of the plot with this story and I spent weeks trying to fill the holes in my original plans. I know I said the same thing last time but this time I truly believe I'll be able to move ahead with full steam again. In any case, I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait at least to some degree! :) Now, I have two short stories to complete for the prompt contest but after that, I'll resume writing my main stories in full swing!**

 **The Rhombus: Yep, Greentail's situation is hardly enviable but from now on, she'll have to begin trying to accept what she is now. It will be far from easy but Ruby's family still offers the trio their best chance to survive. As for your comment about the names of the sharpteeth, I might not have stated it clearly thus far but in this story, the sharpteeth have only one name that is used by all dinosaurs who just know that name. I see Red Claw simply being called by that name in this story for example so the swimmer used the only name anyone has for Chomper's parents.**


	24. Payback and Reunion

**Payback and Reunion**

The wind whistled in the aging fast runner's ears as he tried to see something about the landscape that lied before him. The white ground sparkles had started falling only a short time ago but they were quickly closing the ground into their soft embrace. The air was also turning into a much colder one, a fact which was only underlined by the effect of the frigid breeze. Finding any food for him or his family could soon become a real chore, especially as he suddenly noticed his companion trembling violently.

"Try to gather yourself, Arial. This is nothing compared to the chill that we'll face in the months to come." Detras said apologetically as his gaze met that of his daughter's. The younger fast runner calmed down immediately even if it was clear that she was still just as uncomfortable. She answered to him, trying to put on a braver face.

"I know, dad, but the first few days of the Cold Time are always the worst. It sure feels colder here and it did back home." She said in a slightly nostalgic voice, still not completely feeling at home on these faraway steppes. Still, she knew it was for her and her family's good and besides, it wasn't that different from the Hanging Rock after all. However, her words prompted a faraway look in her father's eyes.

He still heavily regretted that his family had been forced to flee from their home but it simply couldn't be helped. It had recently become an even dryer place than usual and devoid of any remarkable concentrations of green food. That alone wouldn't have been enough to drive the fast runners away but Red Claw and his growing horde of minions became ever more used to braving that maze of rocks and hills. It was the day when a small group of fast biters ambushed him and Pearl and injured his mate severely when the four fast runners had decided their time on Hanging Rock was up, a decision which each of them had regretted heavily. Luckily, he had still remembered the exact spot of his grandfather's old home which had offered his family at least a temporary refuge.

The trek had been a long and hard one for all of the fast runners but especially on the children. Orchid had done his all to brave the journey but he hadn't been able to hide his fatigue and longing for the Hanging Rock. Arial had had even more trouble with keeping up with the others as he and Pearl wanted to make good distance every day to reach the Desolate Rise.

However, the detail that the old male regretted the most was that they had been forced to leave without being able to tell Ruby about it in any way due to the immense danger of the moment and chaotic nature of their flight. Any delay might have given Red Claw enough time to catch the fast runners which wasn't something Detras would have wanted to even consider. The light bluish male couldn't help but wonder how his other daughter was doing. With any luck, Red Claw would be gone and the fast runners back at Hanging Rock before Ruby or Chomper had even learned of their absence. However, Detras finally shook himself out of his thoughts when he answered to the younger dinosaur.

"Yes, it does but that's because we're even further away from the Big Water we were at Hanging Rock. But believe it or not, it's going to be even warmer around here when the spring comes again." Detras smiled as he answered while he once again sniffed at the air to see if there was anything nearby that could sate his family's hunger for today. Meanwhile, Arial's eyes opened wide as she answered to her father's words.

"B… but that makes no sense! Why would it be colder here at one time and then warmer at another? Aren't all places just warmer or colder than others?" The younger fast runner asked in bewilderment. She knew there were many things she still didn't know but this one thing felt even weirder than many others she had heard. The male, to his slight relief, caught one scent which caught his interest but before he told about it, he decided to sate his daughter's curiosity.

"Not really, Arial. Nobody knows why but it is a fact that the farther away you are from water, the bigger difference it is between seasons. That's just how it has always been. As for other things, do you smell anything, Arial?" The older dinosaur asked, willing to let his daughter hone her own skills also on this search. He had asked her to come with him as an additional pair of eyes to ensure their safety but it could also work as a little exercise for the girl. Arial frowned slightly, turning to look around herself. She knew her father well enough to realize he had caught a scent of something but the female wasn't quite sure what. She raised her sniffer as high as she could but the freezing wind made even normal breathing difficult. She knew the value of reading one's surroundings by its scents but this was one of the worst circumstances for that. After a long while of trying, Arial finally gave up, looking at her father apologetically.

"I don't dad. The wind's too powerful and cold for me to smell anything." Her gaze was a resigned one as she looked at her father with some shame. To her relief, Detras didn't seem upset at all by her failure and he even smiled as he answered.

"I doubt I could have either at your age but you also did it wrong. The wind indeed buries most scents and that's why you should try to keep your sniffer away from it while still being able to smell as many directions as you only can." Detras said cryptically, prompting a confused look from her daughter. Smelling the scents in the wind while still keeping her head at the opposite direction? Was such a thing even possible?

"I don't understand, dad. That doesn't make any sense." She said while looking at a distant hill which stuck out of the low-lying plain like a sore finger, providing one of the few landmarks on this frigid, monotonous steppe. Detras decided to prolong his revelation for a short while longer as he decided to address her daughter's confusion.

"Have you noticed how we've walked by even the slightest of mounds this whole time? I've always lowered my head near them to catch scents that are carried by the breeze but at those points the wind no longer freezes your sniffer. Even in this kind of place, one should always try to make sure you aren't surprised by something you can only avoid. But there's no reason to linger here. I think there's some kind of deceased leaf eater in that direction. That should be enough food for today." Detras said as he pointed to the duo's left and begun to head to that direction. Arial turned up her sniffer as a gesture of contempt as she answered.

"Do we really have to eat that? Those rotten corpses taste terrible!" Arial said as she already could feel the rancid, pungent smell of a deceased dinosaur. Detras took a small sigh before he turned to look at his daughter, his eyes gleaming with a stern tone to them.

"Arial, you know as well as I do we don't have a choice. We have to get by with what little we can find or catch and reminding others that you'd like to have better food doesn't help anyone. So follow me! I reckon your mom and Orchid are getting hungry." The male said to the still-frowning girl. He couldn't be angry at her for her words but he hoped she'd learn to think of others more in the future. Arial looked at the sky which was filled with ever-darker clouds, implying without doubt that the ground sparkles wouldn't stop falling for a long time. With a resigned look, she quickly sprinted after her father into the white curtain of a beginning Cold Time.

* * *

If possible, the rising wind bit even more severely on three other halfteeth who were attempting to make as good distance as they only could before the ground would be completely covered by the sparkles falling from the sky. None of the three wanderers could remember the weather ever being this cold this early in a Cold Time which hardly improved their spirits any. The whole world seemed like one freezing hell at this moment but even then, the journey itself was advancing far faster than any of them had even hoped. But that came with a heavy price for a certain green colored thinclaw.

Greentail cringed as her legs felt like they were about to snap in half from the pain. She had managed to find one walking rhythm which allowed some kind of mobility but it was far worse than any kind of limping she had been forced into by some less dangerous injuries. Her current walking resembled something between jumping on her left leg and pushing her body forward with the other one. At first it had gone fine but as the long moments stretched into minutes and then into hours, the pain in her legs grew increasingly more profound. Not to even mention that she had to first try to feel whether there were any obstacles before her as her eyesight was still gone.

Ruby could see her companion's forced walking and she couldn't help but admire her perseverance even in this situation. Even then, her gaze was directly in the land before her as she waited for the cliff the swimmer had told her to appear in the horizon at any time. She couldn't wait to meet her family again after all this time as she hadn't seen them since her and her friends' stroll into the Hanging Rock so long ago. How much had her siblings grown and learned since then? Was everything well with her parents? And most importantly, why had they left the Hanging Rock before telling her anything about?

Cold shivers ran along her back as she thought about Dein's words back at the river valley as she knew were heading the same direction as she was. But even then, the excitement at the reunion mostly overshadowed her worst fears and she knew she couldn't find them quickly enough. Today could be the day she had waited for all those hellish weeks since that most terrible of days. In a way, the knowledge she had done her best to salvage what she could for her family was something she could already foresee giving her some peace of mind after all her trials and allow her to really begin rebuilding her life somehow. It would be tough but…

"Ouch! Dammit all! This is a fucking joke!" Greentail suddenly cried as she fell to the ground after her right leg had hit a large stone sticking from the ground. A loud thud could be heard as she hit the ground and her lack of normal command of her hands made it impossible for her to shield herself from the coming impact. The result was a nasty hit to her chin and a few scratches here and there but the worst hit had come to her pride and already fragile mental state. It was mere seconds before she could hear Ruby's voice.

"Greentail? Are you alright? Did that hurt badly?" She looked in worry as the other girl attempted to scramble her way back to her feet. At first, she tried to decline Yarel's help but she realized becoming an even greater burden on her companions would help nobody. She put her hands on her slightly bleeding knees when she answered. She was boiling at everything inside but she decided to keep it all inside for mere respect to the two other omnivores.

"I… it's alright. It's just really hard trying to walk like this for long. But I'll manage." Both of her companions could see from the way she gritted her teeth that things were far from alright and after exchanging glances, Yarel spoke to her in a soft voice. He was still troubled by his fight with Ruby but he tried to keep his calm in order to make this trip at least a bit less stressful for all of three omnivores.

"We can take a short break, Greentail. We've already gone a long way and…" The boy attempted to reason but his sister only cast a murderous if slightly misdirected glance on him while quickly moving to the direction she thought was the correct one. Yarel sighed briefly before he suddenly gasped and felt a hand hit his back and then he found himself lying in the ground, the white ground sparkles gently dropping on his back. He was about to ask the obvious question when Ruby hissed, her whole being trembling in fear.

"Sshh, both of you! Don't say anything! It's them!" Ruby whispered as she slowly crept down a small mound. Greentail, who Ruby had also managed to tackle in time, felt her spine grow as cold as the world around her as she heard those words. Yarel slowly begun to explore the direction Ruby had pointed at and it didn't take many moments before his eyes shared the same sight with the girl's. The two sharpteeth were marching in the far distance towards the same direction as they but it seemed like they hadn't spotted the three small dinosaurs just yet. Even then, the mere sight of these cursed monsters made the boy's claws turn into a vicious curve. He would have wanted nothing more than to claim his revenge against those who had likely ruined her sister's life for good but even then, he realized the trio's chances of even fielding a challenge against the sharpteeth was practically zero. There simply was nothing to gain from attacking the predators, no matter what he would have wanted. He merely cringed in anger as he answered.

"They don't seem to be after us now. With any luck, we can wait for them to simply go away and continue our journey soon enough." He nearly spat his words out. He remembered Dein's threat very well but that didn't change the odds of any kind of confrontation with the sharpteeth. Ruby looked at Yarel in slight outrage but she couldn't deny that this Yarel was speaking the truth. The trio clearly weren't in mortal danger right now but she knew more than well the duo's plans. As she dwelled in her dark thoughts, she suddenly noticed something highly interesting.

Even in this great distance, it was clear that Terri was limping badly and the duo's overall pace was far from the normal one. It seemed like neither had the sharptooth survived with a mere scratch from their previous encounter. Even now, the fast runner could remember the massive, gaping wound would in Terri's side which was enough for a lake of blood form around her. The more Ruby thought about it, Terri was still most likely seriously injured but their drive to avenge their son and lost pride seemed to drive the two sharpteeth like the deadliest of storms. But that did little to…

Ruby suddenly flinched noticeably as she realized something important. If Terri was this badly injured, it was most likely that she wouldn't pose a serious threat to any of the omnivores. The fast runner could feel her heart beat in her chest as a brave, even desperate plan rose into her mind. Using the network of tunnels under the plain, they could surprise their opponents utterly which could open them a window of opportunity. If that succeeded, there could be a chance she and Yarel would be able to at least cause a nasty injury to Dein, maybe even a lethal one if they got lucky, but she still didn't know to which extent the female had been incapacitated. Also, if the sharpteeth were able to find Greentail in her condition, she'd never forgive herself for her loss, not to even mention Yarel's reaction. Even then, Chomper's parents were going to threaten her and her friends again soon enough and now was a good chance to ensure at least a short reprieve from these two predators. She begun to speak to her companions as silently as she could.

"We could but if they kill my family, we don't have anywhere to go and if we have nowhere to go, all of this has been for nothing! As you can see, Terri is badly injured from our last meeting and it should be possible for us to trick Dein with some kind of trap. This offers us a good chance to make sure they won't chase us again for a long time!" The girl spoke as she already tried to come up with some kind of plan. To her slight chagrin, Greentail was the one who answered.

"You can't be serious, Ruby! Haven't we already fought enough? Do you want us all to end up like me or even worse?" She hissed in anger as she tried to make her friend see reason. Yarel wasted no time in backing his sister's point.

"Indeed. We have nothing to gain by sacrificing ourselves for no reason! Terri might be injured but she can still be far more dangerous than we think! I'd like nothing more than cause those bastards a slow and painful death for what they did but this is just madness!" He said, prompting an angered look from Ruby. She knew what Yarel thought of her motives but his claims that she was just seeking for trouble helped her mood none.

"What would really be madness is to just wait for Terri to get better so they might attack us again! We injured her only to her belly and that will recover far faster than Greentail will! Can't you see this is our best chance to try to make sure we won't be threatened again?!" Ruby spoke as she looked at the two sharpteeth moving ever further from the three friends. Yarel gritted his teeth together in deep thought but he couldn't question Ruby's line of thinking. If they'd let Terri off the hook this time, the one upside of Greentail's sacrifice would be lost for good. He simply nodded to Ruby, answering briefly to her point.

"You better have a good plan then, Ruby. We must make sure Greentail stays safe for the course of this fight. I just hope we can make those two monsters pay for all of this." Yarel spat from his mouth, meaning every word. He clanked at his sister who seemed to be just as willing to join this effort but she realized there was nothing she could do at this time. The two simply looked at the fast runner as she slowly started to explain her plan.

"So do I, Yarel. Do you remember those few caves we saw earlier here and there on this plain? Here's what I think we should do…"

* * *

An approving smile appeared on Detras' face as the sight of a rather recently died threehorn stuck out from under a quickly growing pile of ground sparkles. The corpse was practically untouched which would mean that it could provide food for his family for tomorrow also. This was far more than he had hoped for and it wasn't even too far from the Desolate Rise. He turned to look at his daughter with a wide smile, more than happy for this find.

"We were lucky today, Arial. I don't even want to know what caused the end of this poor threehorn but it just proves how much all things are connected to each other, doesn't it?" Detras said in his usual style, once again willing to let the girl to think for herself. Arial was still more than disgusted by the idea of eating this for two days but she knew she had no real choice. Her father's words, however, prompted a mere nod from her as he was more than well aware of how things worked in the Mysterious Beyond.

"I do, dad. One dinosaur's end is another one's luck. But I still wish we had something else to eat." She sighed, earning one, disapproving look from her father. Still, Detras knew there was nothing to gain from any more arguing so he simply waved to his daughter as he prepared to begin a trek back.

"Well, this is all we have. But now, we must find Pearl and Orchid as they'll want to share this meal with us! I'm sure they, too, have done their best to find food for us too. Let us…" The male suddenly stopped his words and once again begun to sniff the air, this time a frown forming to his face. Arial cocked her head in slight worry, looking at her father in an asking look. After a moment, she asked carefully.

"What is it, dad? Is something wrong?" The girl asked, prompting the male to turn her gaze on her. A clear look of worry radiated from Detras' face as he looked at her daughter.

"There are sharpteeth nearby, Arial. However, the scent seems like a familiar one…" He suddenly turned to look at the direction where he thought the scent was coming from and the more he thought about, the more certain he became of the fact that he hadn't erred. What could Dein and Terri possibly be doing somewhere around here? They had met the two sharpteeth briefly on their way to the Desolate Rise but back then, the two had shown little interest in their journey as long as Chomper and Ruby just stayed in the Great Valley. What could probably bring them here? The fast runner wasn't too worried as the two families had been allies for a long time but still, they were sharpteeth and quite feared ones too. Even in this situation, caution wouldn't hurt any. He quickly turned to look at Arial and spoke to her in as reassuring voice as he could.

"I think it's Chomper's parents. It should be alright but in case something's wrong, stay here while I'll go see what they're up to. Can you do that, Arial?" The male wanted to keep his daughter safe regardless of what was going to happen. The younger fast runner nodded to her father as he was preparing to move on as carefully as he could.

"Yes, daddy. But try to come back soon." She said with some worry before Detras gave her one last reassuring smile before beginning his investigation. The small hills here and there eased his hiding somewhat as he wanted to be completely sure he saw the sharpteeth before they saw him. Once again, he had made sure the wind was on his side but it would take one miscalculation for the predators to see him, giving up any advantage he had. The seconds proceeded slowly as he crouched closer to the duo but it wasn't many minutes until he finally saw what he came looking for. He was hiding behind another hill, careful to make sure his bright colored crest didn't reveal him at this point.

 _It certainly is them but… they move in far more nervous way than usual and… why is Terri moving as if her stomach is aching all the time? Is… is she hurt?_

The most obvious of observations were the first one that caught Detras' eyes but there was something in the carnivores' expressions that worried him greatly. These two looked seldom friendly by a long shot but right now, a certain ember of hate seemed to emanate from their eyes. This one realization seemed to worry Detras beyond measure as he had no idea what could have caused this change of behavior in the two predators.

However, this raised another dilemma for the omnivore. Could he trust that the rage of the sharpteeth wouldn't be a threat to him and his family and meet his old allies face to face or try to lead them astray in an effort to keep his mate and children safe? The duo's friendship had been an important asset for the fast runners countless of times but he despised few thoughts more than the thought of two enraged sharpteeth threatening his family. Suddenly, a sense of dread begun to settle over the aging omnivore as the more he followed the duo's advance, the more he feared that something terrible had happened that would explain this sudden change of behavior. He would have to advance carefully without causing further problems but before the sharpteeth had proven otherwise, they were a very real threat to his mate and children. With a deeply worried sigh, he slowly rose up from his position and knew there was only one way to see what the sharpteeth were really up to.

Dein looked at his mate in some worry as the two quickly moved towards the place Detras had told them about on that day so long ago. He still regretted it had to come to this but Ruby and her cursed friends had vanished completely after that terrible night. Dein still cringed at the memory when he returned to tell the bad news to her mate. The entire clearing where she had lied had been painted the ground completely red and she had already turned dangerously pale. The male had already feared for the worst but suddenly with quick action, he had managed to decrease the bleeding with leaves and mud just enough for her situation to slowly stabilize.

Even then, it seemed like she hadn't survived with just a massive scar on her belly and side as she had continuously coughed since then and she seemed to tremble quite often. Despite all that, she had wanted nothing more than to finish their quest. The male had been just as eager to agree but he still worried as Terri's temperature didn't seem to be dropping at all. Well, they'd reach the fast runners' home very soon and the mere thought of ending this chapter in their lives would certainly give both of them the peace of mind to finally begin moving on from the greatest loss a parent can go through. Maybe then…

"It's a surprise to see you two around here. What brings you here, Dein and Terri?" The two sharpteeth turned to immediately look at the speaker and both of them were more than surprised to see Ruby's father approach them this openly. It was clear he hadn't heard of any of the last weeks' events. Dein looked with some worry as a smile formed to the female's face as she answered. It was clear she had something in her mind, something she wasn't planning to tell the smaller dinosaur.

"That hardly concerns you, halftooth. It was difficult enough to stand against Red Claw after your cowardly flight so you should keep your questions to yourself around us."

 _Well, at least she's as friendly as always. But if she believes I'll just greet her like a friend, she's badly mistaken!_ Detras looked at the predator's eyes while hitting his foot against the ground in a thoughtful look. The two seemed like things were completely normal. Too normal, in fact. This whole meeting was extremely awkward for the fast runner as it was getting clear that he wasn't told everything. When he answered, he tried to sound dry and rather uninterested to keep at least a resemblance of pride in this conversation.

"As I told you, we left only because we were forced to do so. As for your claim, I have the right to know why you've come to my home and what you are trying to find here." Detras knew he was playing with fire but he hoped that trying to sound a bit more confident than normal could force the predators' to reveal their true cards more easily. If they decided against upping the stakes and answered his question, they'd prove they still see him as an ally. If not… something would be seriously wrong.

Terri eyed the other dinosaur with growing anger but she managed to hide her feelings admirably. This fast runner was completely oblivious to everything that had happened and with any luck, he'd reveal their location or even lead her and her mate to his family, making the two predators' work that much easier. Still, it seemed like Detras didn't trust the duo's presence in these lands which was something she'd have to address.

"Don't attempt to show yourself to be any more important than you are, Detras. We came here on our search for a new territory. Less than a cycle of a Night Circle ago Red Claw fell we fought him for hours on end but in the end, those wastes were far from a place worthy of us living there. We decided to take this route as I'm more than sure you wouldn't object to our passing, would you?" Terri growled somewhat as she spoke, earning a brief but clearly surprised glance from Dein as his mate's claim wasn't something he had expected. Their triumph over Red Claw hadn't been too far away but it was something the two hadn't been able to ever achieve. However, the male's confused look wasn't lost on Detras who realized immediately Terri was lying. But for what reason exactly? He realized he'd have to play along for now and see which route this conversation would take.

"Of course not but… you managed to finally send that monster to the Great Beyond? It must have been quite a battle indeed." Detras said in a mock revering voice as Dein's reaction had proven that this whole claim had been a lie. Dein felt rather awkward in this situation but he decided to finally join the conversation to try to make it seem at least a bit more natural.

"Which we were forced to engage in without help. But that's all in the past. We'll be in our way soon enough but we'd like to know where your home… the Desolate Rise, was it, is? We should know its location in case we ever need your help again." The male finished, finally confirming Detras' fears about this whole situation. If the two thought he'd reveal them his home's location after lying to him this crudely in a clearly threatening situation, they were up for a surprise. At this point, the fast runner knew he'd have to get rid of the predators before they realized his true intentions. He couldn't help but lament it had come to this but in the constant battle for life, everybody's allegiances changed nearly daily. He was just afraid this surprise would make his own demise only a much closer prospect.

"O… of course. Follow me, I'll show the way there." Detras cringed as he turned around. He didn't want to face his two guests any more than he needed to as he knew they wouldn't attack him headlong as they would have done so already if they were going to do so. He would only have to lead them astray and then try to use his knowledge of the environment to make his escape. He tried to do his absolute best to try not to think about all the implications of these new developments as all that mattered at this point was to try to ensure that everyone in his family would survive this unsavory encounter. He felt some relief as he heard the loud steps of the sharpteeth resume behind him as they'd swallowed his bait.

The fast runner's mind ached as he tried to think about the best place to try to lose his followers and reach Arial again. He begun to walk into the nearly opposite direction from the Desolate Rise but where… That's it! Nearby lied a small gorge which would be too small for the sharpteeth to fit in and if he were quick enough, they would never see where he had escaped to! Detras concentrated all of his thoughts on staying calm and looking as natural and trustful as usual. His life depended on his ability to act believably enough until he'd lose his two chasers for good.

* * *

Ruby looked around herself with some worry as the tunnel slowly started to slope upwards. Her plan to use the tunnels dotting the wide plain to outflank and surprise the sharpteeth wasn't without its faults but it offered her and Yarel their best chance to ambush and trip Dein, earning the two omnivores just enough time to incapacitate him. Luckily for her, the cave was leading towards the same direction where the sharpteeth were heading and moving here was far faster due to the absence of the ground sparkles. That offered her some hope but she knew she couldn't rest before this encounter with the dinosaurs who, despite everything that had happened in the past, had turned into her mortal enemies.

The fast runner looked in expectation as light suddenly shone into the tunnel before her. The pale light of the slowly dying cycle of the Bright Circle was just enough to cast one pillar of silver into the wide tunnel but for Ruby, it was a promise of a safe tomorrow with the last loved ones she had left. With a brief sigh, she turned to her companions, her gaze stopping at Greentail.

"Alright, this is it. Greentail, I'm sorry you can't come with us but there's nothing you can do to help out there." Ruby said, seemingly just shaking it off as a fact. Greentail cringed at those words but all of the three omnivores had agreed to this after Ruby had explained her plan. The girl merely nodded to the fast runner, her voice sounding weak and bitter as she spoke.

"I know, Ruby. I wish I could but… I just hope you'll be able to do this." Greentail sighed while looking at Yarel with some worry. The boy took her hand briefly, not willing to prolong this moment any further than necessary. No matter what, he wasn't about to leave his sister to face the future on her own.

"I promise we will, Greentail. I'm not going to join mom and dad just yet. Stay safe here while we make sure we won't be attacked again." He merely sighed before he nodded to Ruby before the two headed for the opening ahead the two. Greentail listened to their departing steps and sat on a small stone in the darkness. She hated the fact that she was completely useless while his brother endangered his life at least partially to avenge the fate that had befallen upon her. Despite Yarel's encouraging words, she knew his safe return was far from guaranteed. And without him, the irrevocably maimed and completely lost omnivore couldn't say whether he would have the ability or even the will to continue wandering in this world which had already taken so much for her. Greentail shook her head, simply praying that this day would have a happy ending.

* * *

Detras' eyes wandered in the landscape before him as he feverishly tried to come up with the best way to execute his brave escape from the two sharpteeth. He didn't have the slightest of ideas whether they expected him to have any doubts about his loyalties but it was more than clear that they wouldn't be letting him off the hook easily. Luckily for him, the place that would serve as his salvation opened before him. It was one of the many gorges that dotted the plains around the Desolate Rise, most of them connected to the vast underground network around this seemingly flat expanse of earth. Detras smiled as he realized the many similarities between his old home and new one. It wasn't likely a coincidence his grandfather had chosen Hanging Rock as his new home back then. But soon enough, he'd have to begin his flight from this most threatening of situations,

The fast runner took a quick glance behind himself and noticed that very little, aside from the predators' rising suspicion, since they had started their short trek. Detras knew the situation would only grow more threatening by the minute and he decided to break the silence for the last time.

"We're getting close. It shouldn't take too long anymore." He said merely, earning a quick snort from Dein. The dark green sharptooth answered to him with a somewhat tired voice, willing to make sure Detras was going to cooperate until the very end.

"Then show the way, halftooth and stop wasting time on…" At this point, Detras decided he had reached the most favorable position he could possibly ask for. Without the least of doubts, he suddenly sprinted towards the gorge, more than willing to escape from this nightmare. However, afterwards happened something he hadn't expected.

Only seconds after the fast runner had taken his first steps towards his salvation, both of the sharpteeth suddenly did what they could to stop the treacherous fast runner's flight. Terri's face had turned into an even darker one as she realized that even getting rid of these cursed halfteeth wouldn't be easy. She and her mate quickly raised large rocks from the ground and aimed them towards the escaping dinosaur's path, attempting to obstruct his flight. That attempt succeeded nearly perfectly as the boulders fell only a few meters before the omnivore, forcing him to stop completely. Neither of the sharpteeth wasted any time to use this small window of opportunity to their advantage.

Terri cringed violently as she jumped to close Detras' escape path as a sharp pain emanated from her wound. To her increasing anger, she noticed that some parts of the wound opened again from this effort but that was a price she was willing to pay for an opportunity to crush this cursed traitor. Detras looked around himself in horror as the two sharpteeth closed in around him but even then, he realized that there was one chance for him to make his escape. He looked at Terri's scar briefly, realizing that it was far from healed. Even if the female did her best to ignore the pain, the instinctual aversions towards pain could allow him to live through this. Detras didn't have the time to even take one last breath before his effort but he knew he'd have to do it quickly.

The sharptooth looked in slight surprise as Detras suddenly started running towards her, not expecting any omnivore to be arrogant enough to actually attempt charging towards a sharptooth like this. She suddenly crouched sharply and hit her claws to the ground, attempting to impale the insufferable fast runner. She looked in red rage as Detras managed to dodge certain death by only a few inches but even then, it once again stopped his momentum completely. With quick reflexes, she immediately bowed towards him, attempting to crush his puny body with her jaws.

However, as she prepared for her final strike, the one thing she feared came to pass. A brief cry escaped Terri's jaws as the scarred side of her belly stretched further than it was supposed to and once again, the already-weakened predator's blood poured to the ground in noticeable amounts. She did her best to ignore the pain and finish her job but even then, the feeling of her side opening to ever larger degree foiled her desperate attempt.

Detras panted in shock as the predator's teeth approached him quickly before suddenly stopping just above him, her expression twisting with utter torture. A slightly more fearful dinosaur would have wasted the precious few seconds shivering in fear but Detras knew more than well that his life and likely that of his family's was at stake here. He quickly recovered his footing and resumed his flight. At this point, he only prayed deeply that Dein wouldn't be able to reach him before he'd flee to the safety of the gorge.

The male sharptooth's mind was a flurry of sock and hate as he looked at Detras disappear into the endless plains but even then, he had to make sure his mate wouldn't be forced into the same mortal danger she had been in only a few days earlier. He was about to bow to his mate whose face didn't communicate the slightest of appreciation at the male's concern. She held her belly in clear pain but she wasn't going to let this damned injury hold her still any longer. She merely growled at her mate as she rose back to her feet.

"Don't just stay there, catch him! That bastard won't escape from this place!" Terri growled as she struggled back to her feet. Her whole leg was slowly painted red and Dein immediately answered to her.

"You cannot continue the chase! Things are already badly enough! Chomper wouldn't have wanted you to get yourself killed without any reason!" Dein was just as willing to avenge their son's passing as his mate but he wasn't willing to pay for it with Terri's life. However, the female only swept him aside and her voice nearly even unsettled Dein himself.

"Shake it off, Dein! I won't stay still as long as those fast runners still live! Chomper was always too soft to have understood any of this but even then, he was our only child and I won't let his killers get away with it! Come with me or stay out of my way!" She cried as she headed after Detras with an astonishing speed. Dein wasted no time following her even if he still had his serious doubts about this whole endeavor.

* * *

However, it was all too late at this point. Detras looked behind himself in great relief as he realized that he had managed to create a gap of five longnecks between himself and his chasers. The gorge grew ever closer by the minute and it wasn't many seconds until Detras faced a steep fall before himself. He frowned for the slightest of moments as he looked about the best way to proceed at this point. The fast runner took a brief sigh before he suddenly leaped to a lonely platform near the top of the rocky wall. He was just about to begin his descent using a slightly sloping formation of rocks to his left until something unexpected happened.

Just as he was beginning his descent, a wall of claws hit the platform which he stood on, the impact breaking parts of the cliff apart from the main rock. Detras cried in fear as the spots to which he had grabbed on with his hands broke apart, sending him to a quick fall towards the depths of the gorge. The seconds suddenly seemed to stretch on for hours as he looked at the cliff slowly grow ever more distant, slowly driving his brain to realize what was happening.

However, he wasn't done quite yet. Feeling the opposing wall meeting his head violently, he suddenly turned around and did his best to at least slow down his fall. Detras' face twisted as he looked at some of his claws break at the painful drop and the skin in his fingers being grinded away. However, it was just enough to slow his fall just enough. The impact into the bottom of the gorge caused a massive hit to his bottom and it took many seconds until he realized what had happened.

The omnivore shook his head as he tried to contemplate what had just happened. His fingers and lower body ached considerably but slowly, he realized just how lucky he had been. He raised his gaze to look upwards and saw his chasers look at him in clear and intense frustration. The sharptooth wouldn't be able to reach him down here but he still knew he wasn't on clear waters. He'd have to alert his family of this danger as soon as he simply could but at least he had learned what he had wanted. The future seemed extremely for the fast runners but at least for now, he was safe.

* * *

Ruby cringed heavily as she looked at the two sharpteeth engage in their chase, unable to quite see the reason for their sudden behavior. However, she could see that Terri's situation had once again deteriorated heavily which would only make her plan all the easier to execute. It would take mere time for Terri to lose enough blood to become unable to pose a threat but as for Dein… this time she and Yarel had time to prepare for their meeting with him. Luckily she had noticed one large lake of hard water not far from their position which could probably become Dein's downfall.

At this point, anyone who had known Ruby for a long time would have been able to see how much the last weeks had actually impacted her. Here she was planning to seriously injure, even kill, another dinosaur without a major emotional conflict. True, her feud with these two predators was already personal but before the loss of her friends, she would have always searched for another way to deal even with the dinosaurs she had despised the most, namely Red Claw and his minions but ever had she contemplated of actually getting rid of them for good. However, a lot had changed since those happier days and Ruby's frown only grew more profound as Yarel spoke to her.

"The lake seems just as slick as we thought it would be. We won't receive a better chance to try to take Dein out as Terri doesn't seem like she'll be able to attack us too quickly. I just damn right hope this works." The boy said as he looked into the distance with the two sharptooth apparently backing off from their earlier hunt. Whatever they had been after had most likely gotten away which hardly earned any sympathy towards the predators from either of the omnivores. Ruby started to walk forwards while he turned to look sternly at Yarel.

"So do I because this is the least I can do for my family and Greentail. They might be the parents of the dinosaur I called my best friend but they still are not the same dinosaurs Chomper was. I just hope he'll forgive me, wherever he is." Ruby sighed as he prepared to execute the next stage of her plan. She walked closer to the spot where the predators were and slowly but surely, she put one of her claws on her left arm and closed her eyes in anticipation of what was about to happen. If she was about to draw the attention of the two sharpteeth towards herself after their recent chase and to do that, she'd have to make them believe she'd be an easier pray than whatever they had chased earlier. And to do that, she'd have to make them believe she's injured and the only way to make them believe that was for the claim to actually be true.

After one, long breath, Ruby suddenly sunk her claw into her arm and with one, disciplined movement, stretched a long and deep wound between her feathers while simultaneously letting out a long, loud cry. Ruby started to pant immediately as the pain of her self-inflicted wound started to radiate through her body. Ruby trembled as she opened her eyes again but made it sure that she didn't glance at her injured limb even by accident. She immediately moved on to peek over a small mound and to her immediate relief, she could see that the two sharpteeth had heard her yell. Now everything lied on the success of her and Yarel's plan.

* * *

For a few moments, Detras froze on his heels as the piercing cry penetrated the white skies. He could have recognized that voice at any time but… the fast runner simply didn't want to believe his ears. It sounded just like Ruby but it simply couldn't be! Her elder daughter was safely in the Valley as she had for many Cold Times but… even then… Detras cursed in his mind as he realized he simply had to make sure that his ears had deceived him.

The fast runner suddenly turned around and headed towards the gorge's other side which was far easier to climb than the other one and there even lied a small hill on top of it. With any luck, that would offer him a good enough view to see that he had heard wrong. Detras' legs were slowly becoming weary of all the running but he didn't have time to give those feelings any heed. He took a turn after another on the winding way upwards and it didn't take him too long to reach the top of the rare hill of the plains. The quickly strengthening wind initially forced him to shut his eyes but after a moment, he turned to look at the direction of the cry.

Dein and Terri's forms were the first things that caught his attention but he immediately turned to look further into the white wastes. At first, he saw nothing inside the flurry of falling ground sparkles, the bright wall enveloping everything inside it. However, after a moment his eyes caught a sight of something moving inside the cold curtain moving away from him, something red or even pink… Detras' eyes flushed wide open as he realized he knew this dinosaur after all.

 _It… it is Ruby! B… but how? She should be in the Valley… she… she doesn't even know we should be here! And where's Chomper?_

His elder daughter's appearance shocked Detras without measure as it raised countless questions which would have tremendous impact on the fast runners' situation. Detras could feel his forehead turn into a frown as he realized those questions wouldn't likely have any good answers. However, the sight of the two predators heading after the young girl brought Detras back to the reality. Whatever her reasons to be here, his daughter was in grave danger and he had no way to help her by himself. The omnivore could feel his stomach sink disgustingly as he realized he would need to get help immediately even if he knew it would make Ruby's situation ever more dangerous. However, he knew he didn't have any options at this point. With a sickened look on his face, he sprinted towards the direction he had left Arial in, hoping things wouldn't turn any more dire before he could return to help Ruby.

* * *

Yarel looked at the approaching sharpteeth with an eager look in his face, more than ready for a new encounter with the two predators. At first, he had found his companion's plan more than reckless and senseless but the more he thought of it, he wouldn't trade a chance at avenging Greentail for nothing. It wouldn't return her to the way she was but at least it would prevent these two beasts from ever again hurting another dinosaur. He chuckled in his mind as he waited behind a small rock near the hard water which was already buried under the white cover, turning the lake into a potentially dangerous spot for a two-footer.

However, all of that would be up to Ruby's success on baiting them deeper into the hard water and even after the duo's disagreements, he couldn't help but admire Ruby's readiness to lay down her life for this effort and even luring the sharpteeth around with her own blood. At least it seemed like she was also ready to lay down her own life also, something which brought slight relief to the boy's mind.

Ruby moved ahead in a slightly limping way, as if to show her chasers that she had hurt her leg which had caused her the injury. The two were gaining on her extremely fast and even Ruby couldn't fight her growing panic anymore. She was able to keep her attention on the plan even if her entire mind ordered her to abandon this deadly folly and run for her life. She looked behind herself and saw the two predators reaching for her in a scary speed. A look of malice was more than apparent on their faces as they could barely believe their luck at catching Ruby injured and all alone in the middle of this plain. Ruby's pained cries did little to dampen their enthusiasm at ending this charade once and for all.

However, both of them were too concentrated on their maimed prey to realize that something was deeply wrong. Yarel looked at the duo's advance, increasingly worried that the two seemed to be crossing the lake without major difficulties. The two slipped a few times but when it became clear that neither of them were going to fall, Yarel knew it was his time to act. He grabbed one large stone from the ground and headed towards Dein who wasn't too far away from him. The whistling wind prevented the dark green predator from noticing him quickly enough but Terri saw some movement from the corner of her eye. She quickly turned around and approached Yarel in murderous self-confidence. This kind of cowardly ambush would never succeed against the two.

Before Yarel had the time to dodge the surprise attack, Terri leaped towards him and tried to close her claws around the boy. Yarel, however, jumped forwards in order to escape the deadly limbs of the sharptooth. Dein noticed his slide immediately but his mate's endeavor blocked most of his options of stopping the omnivore. For the slightest of moments, Yarel thought his plan was a success.

The thinclaw quickly approached the deep green sharptooth's leg, only increasing his speed in order to take the beast off-guard. Afterwards, he would use his stone to try to hit Dein's ankle, hoping that the rock would be large enough to hurt it seriously, most preferable even crush the leg. Yarel looked in approval as Ruby turned around and headed to help him. The boy closed his eyes as the collision grew ever closer and his slide was soon stopped by a powerful thud against the carnivore's limb. Dein felt his heart sink as his leg begun to slide from under him, causing him to lose his balance immediately. The sharptooth tried to instinctually pull his leg to its former position but that effort only caused his other leg lose its footing too. The world stopped for the male predator as he fell towards the ground, his chin hitting the hard water with a violent force.

For the briefest of moments, Yarel begun to fear that his plan had one fatal flaw as he looked at Dein slowly beginning to fall on him. The thinclaw nearly froze as he looked at the towering beast wobble and slowly beginning to fall just towards him. However, he managed to keep his cool and immediately, sank his claws into the hard water and pulled himself forward with all his might. Only moments before, the beast hit the surface of the lake, Yarel managed to escape his shadow and avoid this most grisly of fates.

Yarel would have wanted nothing more than to take a short breather after the close call but he knew he had only a few seconds' window to execute the next phase of the duo's plan. He and Ruby exchanged brief, hopeful glances before both of them grabbed their rocks and headed towards Dein's legs. The sharptooth did his best to regain his footing but the slippery hard water hindered his efforts greatly. For a few moments, the two young dinosaurs were brave enough to believe they would be successful, that they indeed would be able to render Dein incapable of threatening the two perhaps for good. Every muscle in Yarel's face was tense at the expectation of finally getting some justice for his sister. A loud cry emanated from Dein's snout as the two, large rocks hit against his ankle, opening deep wounds around it. A few more hits and it would be all over… except that the two had forgotten one, important detail.

While Terri was indeed beginning to feel weak and wobbly from all the blood she had lost, the two omnivores had made a serious mistake when they had counted her incapable of causing them any significant threat at this point. She growled in anger as she saw her mate fall to the ground and the two smaller dinosaurs immediately gathering around his ankle to execute their despicable, pathetic plan. The sharptooth wasted no time in getting to the male's help. To her own disaster, Ruby was too immersed in her efforts to attack Dein to pay attention to Terri until it was too late. The light green predator leaped towards her in utter outrage and just as Ruby realized what was happening, the sharptooth's claws closed around her left leg, scratching five, long wounds to the limb.

The fast runner immediately dropped her rock and gasped in horror as she realized her earlier blindness. As she looked at her left, she saw a sight that would have caused nightmares to any leaf eater or halftooth as Terri's outraged face growled right at her. The girl glanced at Dein's bleeding leg and for the briefest of moments, she thought about finishing her job before fleeing but even then, she realized that would be a complete folly. She and Yarel would never be able to finish their work before Terri would be able to disembowel her. With a frightened voice, she cried at Yarel who was looking at the scene in disbelief.

"It's too late, Yarel! Run!"

* * *

Even if Terri was unable to understand the meaning of Ruby's unintelligible mongering, she could realize their meaning well enough due to the situation. And she also knew that any kind of change of plans from the omnivores at this point would be for naught. On this surface of hard water, they'd never be able to outrun a sharptooth, no matter how hard they tried. For the first time since the beginning of this surprising hunt, a glimmer of triumph begun to shine through the sharptooth's pain as she quickly blocked Ruby's escape while Dein managed to grab Yarel's leg and trip him to the ground just long enough for him to rise to his feet and ensure Yarel would never escape from him again. For the briefest of moments, Terri thought of bidding her final address to the fast runner but she finally decided that the fulfillment of her debt to her darling son would be all that mattered on this moment. This despicable, plotting, good-for-nothing brat didn't even deserve a quick death after all she and her friends had put her and her mate through but her urgent wish to close this chapter in her life was all that mattered.

His feet only slid on their place as the thinclaw attempted one, final escape from this situation. It was getting awfully clear that his selfish quest for revenge had backfired horribly and because of his stubbornness, he, alongside with his brave friend, was going to lose everything. And he couldn't even think about what would happen to Greentail after his passing. Even though he wanted to see her live a long and happy life, in his heart Yarel knew Greentail would never find another meal by herself nor would she be able to avoid any dangers. A sickening feeling rose to Yarel's throat as the image of Greentail slowly wandering aimlessly and starving alone rose to his mind. He had brought the most terrifying of fates on the dinosaur who meant the most to him in this world without any reason and tears begun to form in his eyes as he realized the full implications of what he had done. Hopefully, Greentail would find it in herself to forgive him when the two siblings finally reunited in the dark reaches of the Great Beyond…

* * *

The two older fast runners looked in utter horror as their daughter did her best dodging Terri's frantic assaults. Arial and Orchid's diversion hadn't changed the course of the fight immensely and Pearl could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she watched at her daughter shuddering beneath the sharptooth's vicious form. The older female couldn't come up with any sensible reason for Ruby to be here but none of that mattered on this terrible moment. Pearl already felt more than worried about what had happened to Chomper but for now, saving Ruby from the mess she had gotten herself into was the only thing that mattered. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to the younger fast runner while she could have prevented it.

To her encouragement, however, she could see that Ruby and her companion had had a good idea on how to try even the odds against the massive predators. Maybe… just maybe it would offer her and Detras the opening they'd need to end this mess once and for all. Terri glanced at the two in annoyance, knowing that even those pitiful omnivores could be capable of hindering her plans at her current condition, especially as her mate was just a bit too far to help her. With an increasingly frantic and enraged drive, she began her attempt to close her arms around Ruby and impale her but something happened before that, something the carnivore hadn't quite expected.

Her parents' sudden appearance was like a breath of happiness from her long-gone past, something that had been untainted by tragedies or larger personal misgivings. Even then, Orchid and Arial's cheerful but concerned eyes and her parents' gallant rush to her help made Ruby realize that once again, she had made a serious mistake by ever engaging in this plan. The whole course of today's events suddenly fell upon her as she realized that the sharpteeth had likely chased one or both of her parents earlier which meant they had some kind of plan in store for the two predators. A plan she had ruined by her selfish wish to prove something to herself. Ruby cringed as she cast another volley of curses at herself but that realization made her also decide one thing. She'd do her absolute best to try to stand her ground in this fight and try to ease the burden she had placed on her parents' shoulders without any good reason.

Twisting her mouth into an agitated grin, Ruby suddenly jumped closer to Terri, dodging her attack while also being able to stretch her belly wound a bit further, causing a slight snarl from the predator as she stepped back in order to earn another opportunity to strike at the smaller dinosaur. However, her dizziness and increasing weakness prevented her from realizing that her time was already up. She started to waver slightly as Detras and Pearl's claws stroke at her body. Ruby looked in great relief as her parents appeared at her side, finally deciding this battle that only a minute before had seemed to be her very final one. However, there was one more thing to be done before the omnivores could begin their flight. She would have liked her first words in a long time to her parents to be less urgent but she couldn't abandon her friend at this point. An endless joy was apparent in her voice as she cried to the two fast runners arriving at her side.

"You came just in time, mom and dad! It's so good to see you again!" Ruby said in great relief as she looked at her parents arrive at her side. She nearly forgot the danger she was in at this sudden reunion but even that momentary joy was interrupted by her father who immediately asked her in a stern voice. He was also happy to see his daughter again but even more he wanted answers.

"Why are you here, Ruby, and what happened to Chomper? As for your last whim, no fast runner should search a fight with a sharptooth and you know it!" The male said while he briefly stopped near Ruby. The girl was stunned by the abrupt reaction to their first reunion in many Cold Times but she still understood her father's questions. She was about to answer when Pearl suddenly answered to her mate's words.

"Is this the way you greet your daughter you haven't seen in an eternity, Detras? Don't worry, Ruby. I'm happy to see you back home." Pearl glanced at her mate who was about to rebuke but Ruby realized they wouldn't have any time to waste arguing. She answered to her mother while also glancing at Detras.

"Thanks for coming here to help us, mommy and daddy. But right now, we have to save Yarel! There's no time to waste!" She cried as she pointed at the boy who shivered under the brutal attack. Detras was just about to ask who his daughter meant but after he raised his gaze a bit, it was more than clear whom she meant. Initially, he was about to answer that it would be far too dangerous but he soon realized they couldn't let this stranger to die like this, especially as he seemed to have helped Ruby in her long journey. He would get to the bottom of Ruby's deeds in the last weeks soon enough but right now, the most important thing was to end this dangerous attack. He soon yelled to the two females as he saw that Dein wasn't injured like Terri but for that, he had another plan, one which would build on Ruby's original idea…

"Very well but know that we will see this issue through later. We'll help him but we need to also make sure Dein won't be able to chase us! Let's try to get him to the brightest and warmest spot on the lake and we might stand a chance!" The fast runner cried as he looked at the noon's rays shine upon the central part of the lake. He already smiled as he thought about his idea's success but he knew he couldn't get complacent. Terri was too weak to continue the fight but Dein was still unharmed and he'd certainly pose a deadly threat to the omnivores. Luckily, he, too, would soon pay the price for threatening his family.

* * *

The sharptooth looked in disbelief at the smaller dinosaur, who, against all odds, had managed to dodge his strikes one after another. While the thinclaw indeed had problems maintaining a stable footing, the slippery hard water made it practically impossible for him to maintain a stable footing during his attacks. He was constantly on the verge of falling again which infuriated him greatly. Yarel had attempted to escape a few times but that was something he had been able to prevent until now. His mate's struggles troubled the male without an end but he knew she'd never forgive him if he let the thinclaw off the hook. However, a sudden chorus of mindless, brainless-sounding grunts stole his attention as he once again attempted to resume his threat.

"Yarel! Try to get away from there and follow us! You'll make it through this!" He sudden turned his gaze at Ruby who was standing about two longneck lengths away from him while her parents had spread a fit further around her. Yarel cringed heavily as he looked at the sharptooth but he had been through enough with Ruby to believe she was trying to trick him somehow. He gulped audibly as he suddenly jumped forward, trying to get enough speed to make at least some distance between himself and the beast. He couldn't even guess what Ruby had in her mind but it hardly could be any worse than his current situation.

Neither did the carnivore waste any time before trying to cut his escape but the frozen lake made any fast movements for a dinosaur of his size nearly impossible. Dein cringed as he slowly tried to gain momentum, all the while Yarel's image grew ever smaller in his eyes. Dein looked in fear as Terri's panting grew ever worse and she slowly fell to the ground in a controlled manner. Even then, he wasn't about to give up now. He had come too far to betray his mate now.

* * *

Pearl looked in worry as she slowly approached the point Detras had pointed at. It was clearly the only spot on the lake which hadn't been blocked by the clouds during this whole day and while it wasn't quite weak enough to be close to breaking, its surface was filled with water which had melted away from the rest of the frozen surface. A perfect place to trip the predator again and finish the job Terri had interrupted last time. Luckily to her, Orchid and Arial had returned to their parents just in time for her to tell them to roll down another boulder which, if timed correctly, it could serve as a further insurance for the omnivores' plan. However, they'd have to make the predators believe this was but a chaotic chase, seemingly devoid of any ideas other than saving Yarel from the mess he found himself in.

"Arial! Orchid! Prepare the boulder! Send it going the moment the sharptooth begins to clearly waver! She cried as she suddenly approached the predator who, at every moment, seemed to be getting ever closer to Yarel. The boy, on the other hand, slowly started to realize what the fast runners were getting at. He could feel the sweet warmth of the Bright Circle smiling down upon him as he looked at the sky, realizing that the chill of the Cold Time seemed to drift away for even a moment under this short moment of peace. However, he suddenly felt his legs beginning to slip below him even faster than he had noticed due to the unusual warmth of this grim day. He managed to just throw himself forward slightly before he collided with the hard water, sliding with a still great speed forwards.

However, neither did his chaser have any easier time. Dein growled in annoyance and disbelief as the water made the frozen surface of the lake treacherously slippery but unlike Yarel, he was able to stop his fall with his hands. Even then, the hard water prevented him from regaining his footing quickly and by the time he had regained control over his movements, something happened he hadn't expected. A huge rock was sliding down a nearby hill right towards him while the predator was unable to escape from its path, no matter what he did. Dein looked in horror as the rock drew ever closer to him while watching helplessly as the rock hit his lower leg, the boulder hitting his knee with a terrifying power. The sharptooth looked in shock as his knee seemed to literally pull up from his leg, twisting the rest of the limb into a disgusting position. The dark green dinosaur looked at it for a few seconds in shock, the shock rendering him unable to feel any pain for a few moments.

But when the initial shock wore off, the pain was far worse than the sharptooth had even expected. The whole leg radiated hellish anguish as the loose knee crushed each and any gristles around it. The whole area turned black within a few seconds and it was on this moment that the sharptooth knew his hunt had failed. He didn't have any possibility of getting rid of any of the omnivores anymore, his mate was at death's door and…

Suddenly the maimed sharptooth realized that even through her terrifying injuries, Terri had again risen to her feet and approached him quickly. This time her composure no longer seemed enraged or desperate: only worried and utterly defeated. This sight made Dein ignore his pain as it still seemed not all was lost. He suddenly cried to his mate and started his efforts to once again rise up and attempt to make his escape.

"Come to my side, Terri! We must lose those cowards as soon as possible!" Both of the predators knew how utterly pitiful it was for two sharpteeth escaping from a handful of halfteeth who posed an actual threat to them but it mattered very little for Dein at this point. If he continued to fight here, he'd fall for sure but an escape today would enable him to restore his and his mate's honor some other time. Dein could see Terri was using all of her strength to reach him and he did his to return the favor. The two had hunted enough times together to know each other's line of thinking and both of them realized, no matter how distasteful it was, that there was only one way to live through this terrifying setback.

* * *

The momentary sense of triumph was slowly beginning to wear off as Yarel saw Terri growl to her mate's call. The quickly rising wind and the howling breeze hid the words' meaning, however, but Yarel still couldn't help but feel this would be the moment he had waited ever since Greentail's injury. He smiled in expectation as all of the omnivores were about to charge at the two sharpteeth to bring an end to this encounter all of those present would have wanted to avoid in the first place. However, it was at this moment that something happened which he hadn't expected. The two sharpteeth simultaneously struck their claws into the hard water which begun to create widening cracks in the lake's surface. The duo hit it again and again while the omnivores tried to move around the quickly growing cracks under the feet.

Even then, it wasn't many seconds until the hard water finally gave up under the beating of the two predators. They looked with great relief as the water begun to pour from the cracks and the hard surface of the large lake was being split into two separate parts. The divide grew wider by the second but even then, both of the sharpteeth knew they didn't have any time to waste as the halfteeth would very soon find a way around this crack. However, Terri and Dein looked content as they looked at the skies above them which covered with the ever-increasing masses of the falling ground sparkles. It would offer them just the needed cover to escape into the plains before the omnivores could stop them. Today had been a massive humiliation but at least both of the sharpteeth had survived this ordeal. It would take a long time for the predators to recover from their injuries but when they did, they'd make sure these kinds of setbacks wouldn't happen ever again. And at that point, neither Ruby nor her cursed family would escape their fates any longer…

The young fast runner panted in approaching exhaustion. Dein and Terri's trick had been a highly unexpected one and she prayed in her mind they hadn't been able to get too far away during these past minutes. She didn't even want to think of the possibility that they had gotten away as all of today's efforts would have been for nothing in that case. However, as she reached the spot where they had last seen, she realized it was all over. There were a few stains of Terri's blood and their first footsteps but the speed at which they were being buried until the white clothing of the world and the rising wind made Ruby realize her chase had failed.

"They...! They're gone! We'll never catch them in this storm…" Ruby said as she fell to her knees, panting heavily in fatigue. Deep down, she knew her plan had been successful as the threat to her family was repelled for now but a complete, irreversible victory had been so near… Now, Chomper's parents were once again a threat only waiting to surface again. She lied in the ground for a few seconds before she suddenly heard a softer voice behind her.

"Ruby? Are you alright? You are hurt!" She heard her mother's voice behind her as she looked at her thigh which Terri had scratched during the duo's fight in the lake. Ruby, however, only looked at it and despite the pain it caused, it was one of the last things in her mind right now. It and the disappointment about the fight's outcome were both being replaced by the utter relief of this situation. Against all odds, she had found her family and kept her word to her friends. She looked at her mother and rose to her feet as she answered.

"Oh, that's nothing, mommy. At least now that I've found you at long last. Thank you for coming to help me!" She said as the two dinosaurs approached each other, hoping this reunion stretch on forever. They embraced deeply as they both realized how badly they had missed each other. Pearl whispered into her daughter's ear silently as she looked into the far distance.

"I was so worried about you when your dad told me what was happening. B… but why are you here? And where's Chomper?" The older fast runner said in apparent puzzlement. It was clear she, too, wanted to know what had happened but the apparent moment of ease was ended the moment when Detras opened his mouth. The male's earlier alarmed and concerned composure had turned into a suspicious, even angry one. The more he thought of it, the more certain he was that today's disaster had been Ruby's doing.

"That's what I'd like to know too. You've got an awful lot to explain, Ruby." Detras put his hands on his hips in clear displeasure and Ruby could already see she wasn't given the luxury of an easy homecoming. Her expression turned into a worried one as her eyes suddenly met those of Yarel, immediately reminding her that there was one thing to do before the inevitable and worrying reckoning with his parents about all the implications of her failures. She gulped noticeably as she answered to her father.

"I do, daddy. But before that we'll have to go tell Yarel's sister the good news. Chomper's parents hurt her earlier and it's one of the reasons we did what we did. She has waited for us long enough." She said silently, ashamed for forgetting Greentail even for a moment. Her parents exchanged glances and despite their differing thoughts on their daughter's recent doings, they could see that this was something she'd have to do before exchanging the news to them. Pearl nodded to her and Yarel after a moment in approval.

"Don't take too long, Ruby. The sharpteeth are still out there and I'm sure all of us want to hear each other's stories. Stay safe." She said, looking at the two younger omnivores approvingly. Ruby gave her mother one last smile before nodding to Yarel. She was more than happy to tell Greentail the good news after all that had happened during the past hour. The fast runner could only hope this day wouldn't turn sour once her parents learned of the depth of the mess she had got them all in.

* * *

 **With the fast runner family's reunion, the most terrifying and mentally taxing journey in Ruby's has come to an end. What's more, Dein and Terri's vengeful quest ended in a failure but even then, what kind of reward does this victory hold for Ruby? Greentail's injury and the shadow of the two sharpteeth will hang above her for a long time, especially as the future is unlikely be any easier even now… With this chapter, Separate Ways exceeds 200 000 words which is a great milestone for this fic. It doesn't seem too long ago since I started this story but here we are nearly a year later! I hope you found this chapter a worthy continuation to my most best-received story and tell me what you think of this installment!**

 **Ar1y: And those reviews mean a lot to me too :) Thank you for your kind words and I hope that you continue to appreciate this story!**

 **The Rhombus: That moment truly changed a lot for Petrie as the points you raised about his character development were quite correct. Here he had a real chance to regain some of his lost happiness but now once again, he doesn't have a clear path ahead of himself. I'm also glad you liked the exchange between Petrie and Pterano as I feared it could easily turn into a prelude for what followed that conversation.**

 **I'm sorry if the battle was somewhat confusing but I tried to make it seem as chaotic to the reader for the reader as it was to the combatants but that effect might not have worked as intended. And yeah, Peak certainly screwed things up as his decision will have long-reaching implications soon enough but those will have to wait for now.**


	25. On the Doorstep of Disaster

**On the Doorstep of Disaster**

For a seemingly endless amount of time, the world around the young flyer seemed to be but one white prison with an impenetrable wall isolating him from his surroundings. To make matters worse, the cries of pain and death made him feel more miserable than in a long. long time, knowing that there was a chance he'd never meet his beloved uncle again. Petrie's teeth ached as he gritted them together in deep fear, his face a stiff mask of utter despair. There were some commands and orders which rang through the endless skies but the overall noise prevented him from making any sense from them.

Every now and then, the young boy took a look at the rest of the children around him, knowing that each and every one of them had a loved one risking their lives for the herd. Petrie was slightly bothered as he couldn't see Ortin or Glide anywhere and to be completely frank, he didn't care anymore. If they thought they were so great and perfect, there was nothing he'd have to say to them anymore. Petrie had tried to see them as his first real friends since that fateful day but it seemed they were little better than Hoist and his friends. The flyer seethed at the mere thought of their last meeting which he resolved to cast away from his mind for now.

However, he soon saw something which brought his attention back into the present. At first, he noticed nothing out of the ordinary but after a moment, he realized he had been right. The sounds of battle seemed to dissipate in a matter of seconds, the never-ending shouts of the dying dinosaurs fading into the ghastly curtain of the arriving Cold Time. At first, Petrie stood still in order to hear if the fighting would resume but as the moments flew by, gasps of uncertainty and calls of the survivors filled the scene above him. The battle was over. And that meant he'd have to go see that Pterano was okay! Petrie dashed into the whiteness with a great speed but his quick advance was quickly halted by a slightly larger flyer whom the boy knew, to his great regret.

"We have to stay in a group until we are told it is safe! Turn around and join the others!" The speaker was Eleria, the insufferable flyer who had tricked him into Hoist's trap a few days ago. Right now, her expression wasn't particularly vile or threatening but if she thought Petrie had even a remnant of respect towards her after her last trick, she was badly mistaken.

"Petrie will go see that uncle Pterano still alive! Get out of me way!" The younger flyer said to the girl's apparent displeasure. It was true that she despised the outsider heartily but this had been one thing she had tried to help the best she could. The children had been ordered to stay together in emergency situations and as an older dinosaur, it was her charge to keep the younger flyers in line. It was for this reason she answered to Petrie in a louder voice than before.

"You'll see about that soon enough but you cannot go there alone! We don't know if it's safe yet!" She said in growing annoyance, frustrated by having to fight with this puny moron who shouldn't be here in the first place. However, Eleria wasn't the only one getting fed up with this scene. No matter what the herd protocol said, Pterano was his only loved one who was still around in this unsavory place. Had Eleria been any other flyer, the choice whether to listen to her would have been a hard one but now it was a no-brainer. He merely snorted towards her before catching a downward current of air in an effort to lose her as quickly as possible.

"Me no care about what you say! You may tell the others what you want but it make no difference to Petrie!" He said before he quickly bypassed the girl who was left to stare at the white fall of the ground sparkles, secretly content with the fact that this would hardly help Petrie in the eyes of the rest of the herd members. He was making her and Hoist's efforts far too easy.

* * *

Heavy panting accompanied his gasps as he looked at his opponent suddenly flee from the battle. He felt like he had been forced to face dozens of enemies in battle but to his relief, he had only suffered one serious injury: a long and deep cut into his right thigh. However, it would hardly become a life-threatening one which made him luckier than many other survivors of this senseless bloodbath. However, as he regained his breath, a serious question rose to his mind. Why had the attackers left this abruptly? They had suffered heavy casualties but what had they expected by attacking with a much smaller force against them? Had they actually dreamt of a total victory or did they have some other objective? The later possibility chilled him to the bone but anything could have happened in the horrifying heat of the battle. The scene around him was completely calm as his surviving allies had spread out in a large area in order to avoid any kinds of attacks to their back in the fight. The flyer was just about to go investigate the situation when he suddenly heard a relieved and familiar cry behind him.

"Uncle Pterano! You alive!" The older male turned to look at his nephew who looked at him with a mixture of happiness and alarm. Knowing he could have very well fallen today, he was more than glad to see Petrie again. However, the scene was far from safe and that was the first thing that mattered here.

"Petrie? What are doing here? You should have stayed with the others! The battle has ended for now but we don't know if they will be attacking again!" The light-brown flyer said as he realized he was already neglecting his orders by not concentrating his whole attention into guarding the herd's safety. The younger flyer's face fell slightly as he realized his mistake but he was still more than happy with knowing his uncle was alive.

"Me know but Petrie wanted to see everything's alright. It was terrifying to just wait out there without knowing what was happening here." He said, cocking his head slightly. Pterano cringed at the answer, understanding Petrie's completely. However, he still had to send him back to safety until it was clear what had happened.

"Well, now you know. I'm glad you were so worried about me but please, wait patiently for my return if things like these ever happen again. Is that alright?" He asked, giving the younger flyer a friendly smile. Petrie returned the expression and was just about to answer before another, louder voice reached their ears.

"What the hell happened here? All the survivors, report to me at once!" Pterano turned to look in the voice's direction, immediately recognizing the voice. It had taken a long time for Nira to reach the scene of the battle but at least it seemed like she believed the threat was over for now. The older flyer looked at his nephew and said the obvious to him.

"Return to the others now. I am needed elsewhere." The older flyer asked before heading towards the direction of the voice, dreading the news he'd probably hear soon enough. Many flyers had fallen this day and it was more than probable he had lost someone he respected highly. Petrie, on the other hand, retained his earlier happiness at the fact that his uncle had made it. It was likely that someone would voice their disappointment at his absence with the others but none of that mattered at this point. His uncle's survival was the only thing the boy had cared about and that one blessing had been granted.

Nira looked at the group of flyers gather around her, feeling increasingly sickened at the few number of the flyers in Nimble's wing who had made it through the savage attack. She bashed herself without an end as she thought about the time it had taken her to gather her group and head to Nimble's help. It seemed that the battle had ended in the defenders' victory but many questions remained. Who was the aggressor and why had he or she attacked? And most importantly, where was Nimble herself? Cold shivers creeped across the female's back as she called to her fellow leader.

"Nimble? Please report to me, now!" She tried to call again but to no avail. Her fellow leader should have heard her call by now, despite humming wind of this frigid season. The only voice that met her ears was Lenel's equally troubled voice as he moved to the female's side.

"We have to keep searching for her, Nira. She may be wounded or simply lost in this cursed haze!" He said, looking in increasing anger into the sky which only seemed to become more covered by the ground sparkles. The mere thought of one of the main leaders of the herd falling like this was a revolting one for him as he could only imagine the repercussions of such a loss. Nira looked at the male for a while but before he got the chance to answer, one of the gathered flyers stepped forward.

"It's no use, Lenel. Nimble is gone." He said simply, willing to make his main point clear. Kero had stood by his leader's side during the fight even if he had been separated from her just before the end. However, the sight of his beloved leader's shadow dropping through the white sky was one that he'd never forget, no matter how hard he'd hope otherwise. His words earned a quick gasp from Nira who looked at the male in utter shock.

"How do you know this? Did you see her falling? Answer me!" She asked in a loss of better words. She could see that Kero was being genuine but there could be a possibility he had mistaken in his claim. She knew none of the deputies would make these kinds of claims without proof. Kero didn't waste a second before he gave his answer. He was on the verge of tears but his loyalty to his fallen leader demanded him to calm down.

"I did even though I was too far away to help her. The attackers manage to drive us away from her and their leader took her out after a long fight. She was about to win until… until Longcrest betrayed her." Kero spat the name out as a shocked face appeared on Nira and Lenel's faces. Longcrest betraying Nimble? He had been her most loyal ally and one of the most respected members of the entire herd! He had always been there to help when he had been needed and he had saved the herd far more than once. This overflow of information slowly filled Lenel's mind with dread as he couldn't even begin to think how this would affect the already-tense atmosphere in the herd. As long as this case hadn't been completely dealt with, he had to be vigilant to try to maintain the remnants of calm in the herd. Willing to get some proof of Kero's words, he suddenly turned at Pterano and the female deputy, Taria, and spoke to them in a silent voice.

"Go look to the ground and try to get a good guess about our casualties. Also… if you'd find Nimble, I'd be grateful." He said simply, his gesture followed by a similar order from Nira. None of the flyers hesitated for a moment as each of them wanted to do their best to help on this horrifying hour. For now at least, the two seemed to be on a similar page on how to proceed from this dark situation. Nira then nodded to the male in clear regret and growing disgust at the situation.

"How could this happen? Why didn't she ask for help faster?" At this point, Nira didn't wait for a good, definitive answer but the bitter, angered growl that she heard stunned her without measure.

"Nimble put her trust in Peak but he… he declined her request! And because of that, she is… she is…" The male's earlier, forced calm broke immediately as the irrevocability of what had happened crept into his mind. Just like that, because of one flyer's mistake and another's treachery, the kindhearted, wise leader he had followed his whole life was gone forever. However, his sorrow was soon abruptly stopped as the flyer who had caused all of this suddenly appeared from the sky above him with a completely emotionless face, doing his absolute best to hide any traces of his true feelings about the situation.

"I did but only to defend myself and those who put their trust in me! I did as I saw best and I'll stick by my decision!" He said as he joined the other leaders, earning a stunned and outraged glance from Nira who couldn't believe what she was hearing. After all this, Peak still attempted to create the impression that he was completely innocent in this tragedy? She immediately flew closer to the male and spoke to him, her voice radiating with anger.

"What have you done, Peak? Our herd is nothing if we cannot trust in each other's help! We have saved each other many times in the past already! D… do you have any idea what this means?" She asked rhetorically but Lenel realized there was something else to be done before they could get to the real process on deciding how to move on forward from this day. Peak had finally gone too far with being nearly directly involved in the death of one of the four leaders of the herd and he wouldn't escape from this without a punishment. But that would have to wait for a while longer.

"None of us does yet, Nira, but we have to gather the herd and take them to safety before we'll decide on how to best secure our herd's stability. Peak, we will talk about this soon enough." Lenel said, knowing more than well that his lifelong effort to unite at least some flyers together was under serious risk here. He couldn't uphold that effort alone, though, so he'd have to try to make Peak see reason before things would escalate too far. He knew many in the herd had already grown hostile to some of their leaders and it wouldn't take a lot for the herd to split apart, if not descend into violence completely.

Peak looked at Lenel with a murderous glare but he understood that he'd have to comply for now. His reputation was also on the line here and any further failures could shake also his followers' trust in him. Willing to try to take the initiative before his peers, Lenel let out a loud sky, rallying the herd to the three leaders. Still deeply stunned by all that had happened, Nira glanced one, last hostile look at the orange male but she knew they couldn't keep the herd under uncertainty any longer. They deserved to know what had happened and any further delays in telling them the news would be interpreted as hesitation or incapability from their part.

It didn't take long before the sky around the three started to fill the gathering dinosaurs. Many of them were badly injured but most of them seemed only confused and concerned about what had just happened. All of them knew there had been a battle but its briefness and mysterious nature bothered many among them. Lenel turned towards the gathering flyers, knowing addressing them would be up to him as it had been him who had called them in the first place. Only at this point he realized how badly the loss of his old, trusted friend had hit him as his voice fell clearly as he addressed the herd.

"I apologize for the delay before calling all of you but it took us this long to get a hold on today's events ourselves. We were attacked in a cowardly raid and many of us lost their lives trying to defend the rest of our precious herd. As of now, none of knows for sure what has happened but with a heavy heart, I announce we must assume the worst concerning Nimble."

* * *

That announcement hit Glide savagely as she listened to Lenel's words. Had he actually just claimed that Nimble had died in an attack like this? But… that couldn't be! She had been one of the flyers she had looked up to all her life as had many other children along with her. She took some, desperate hope in the fact that Lenel wasn't sure about Nimble's whereabouts but she knew he wouldn't make such statements lightly. She took a brief gulp before she said the flyer beside her the most important thing swirling in her mind.

"That isn't true! Of course Nimble should have survived that attack with ease… there is a chance she's still alive, isn't there?" She looked at her mother who was flying beside her. The older flyer, named Skybeak, frowned deeply at her daughter's question. She had often disapproved of the girl's overly optimistic view of things at the expense of simply looking the reality in the eyes. The older dinosaur looked at Lenel in slight worry, the magnitude of the herd's loss also apparent in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Glide. Lenel knows what he's talking about and she would most likely be here if she were able. Nimble would never let us worry for her without a good reason." She said mournfully, equally shocked by her loss as her daughter. Nimble had made a name for herself even before joining with the other herds, her never-ending efforts to help her followers in any ways possible becoming one of her greatest assets during her life.

However, there was one time Glide remembered more clearly than any other, one day when Nimble had become the hero for her she was today. It was almost exactly four Cold Times ago when a massive flying rock had caused a large fire in a forest the herd had been resting on that distant day. Most of the flyers had been sleeping when the disaster struck and much like on this day, the quickly spreading fires seemed to make any kind of meaningful coordination of the herd impossible. Nira, Peak and Lenel were once again unable to come to an understanding on how to proceed while a few families had been surrounded against a massive cliff by the fire, the flames preventing their escape into the sky. Among those trapped had been one of her dear childhood friends, another girl called Helin. Against the agreements between the four leaders, Nimble had decided to act quickly and decisively, immediately gathering a group of volunteering flyers to find those needing help without any concern for herself.

Nimble and her group soon found the three families slowly being surrounded by the merciless fire and almost instinctually, she knew what to do. There had been a small lake nearby and she ordered the others to get some water to pave way for the poor dinosaurs' escape. After wards, she had been the first among those to gather the water on large tree stars to let Helin and the others to escape from their death trap. She had even helped them out of the circle herself, suffering many disgusting injuries due to the fire herself. This had been only one case where she had proven her bravery as a leader and there had probably been other, even more important ones but that day had been one when Nimble had concretely saved her friend from a terrible death. However, those thoughts were interrupted by a male voice from her right. Her parents had immediately come to search for her after the fight had ended for which she was highly grateful. However, what his father Northwind said next served only as a continuation to the reasons why she preferred to spend as little time with her family as she only could.

"Only the strongest make it through these fights. We don't know yet what happened but a flyer must never let himself be outsmarted by others. I'm sorry you had to hear this, Glide, but I hope you see why we want you to train as hard as you simply can. You won't survive for long if you let yourself being beaten by an outsider." He said silently, willing to seize this chance to underline his point to his daughter. However, Glide snorted as a response and answered in a cold voice.

"Whatever, dad. I'm doing my best but this isn't the time to begin preaching me about that! Don't you realize it?" She asked, earning a murdering glare from her father. However, Northwind decided against pressing the point as he realized it would only escalate the situation which wasn't something he wanted after the horrifying battle. Their conversation was soon ended completely as Lenel finished his speech.

* * *

"So, in case it isn't clear yet, we will stop here for today to tend to our wounded and investigate what happened. I, Nira and Peak will hold a meeting very soon and we'll address you again as soon as we can. I understand most of you are upset by what happened but I ask you, keep the calm until we know who the attacker was and how this could happen." Lenel forced his gaze to remain neutral as he looked at the many angered and confused flyers before him. However, it seemed that for now, none of them were prepared to question his order. He simply prayed that wouldn't change later on. With a forced, heavy wave, he invited the others to join him on his search for a safe place until this nightmare could be dealt with once and for all.

* * *

The sight that met his eyes in the ground was a truly sickening one. Here and there lied fallen flyers whose bodies were sickeningly crushed against the rocks, dead trees and small hills dotting the landscape. Pterano gulped in clear fear and sadness as the fresh corpses of the dinosaurs who only an hour ago had been thinking, living flyers filled his whole sight before his eyes. This wasn't of course the first time he had seen this terrible sight but there was something in the dead flyers slowly getting buried under the white ground sparkles that touched him deeply. The sight reminded him of a dear memory slowly vanishing from a dinosaur's mind with time, slowly disappearing as if they never existed, just as these poor flyers.

"Let's split up. You two search the southern part of the battlefield and we'll go north." The speaker was one of Nira's deputies, a rather young female whose expression was rather fearful and even untrusting. Even if nobody had said it aloud just yet, it wasn't likely that the attacker, whoever he had been, had happened to simply find the herd's weakest spot in the middle of the falling ground sparkles in full attack readiness. No, the other herd had known about their movements and as far as the four flyers were concerned, it could very well be anyone in the herd. Taria frowned at those words but she knew that was the most logical way on how to proceed.

"Very well. Call us if you find her before us." She said as she took off towards the more southern parts of the wide field that was quickly being painted completely white. She, too, cringed as she looked at the crushed bodies of the flyers around her but there was nothing to be gained from showing pity for the fallen. There were a few familiar faces here and there but thankfully, none of them were anything more than acquittances to her. Yet, her mind swirled in the unanswered questions of the day.

Taria had always been one of the flyers who had heartily advocated against putting their herd's future into the hands of other, possibly untrustworthy leaders. She had become Lenel's first deputy many Cold Times ago and ever since she had tried to support his efforts in bringing the four herds together, no matter her own misgivings about the issue. She didn't regret any of that, though, as she had found a lovely mate and in time, they had had three children who Taria had sworn to protect more than anything in her life. And right now, the other herd's attack and the lingering distrust inside the four herds was threatening what mattered most to her.

The female flyer shivered slightly as another cold gust hit her eyes and threw her back momentarily. The wind had thrown the dead in an unbelievably wide area and the search would grow only more desperate as more of the white sparkles fell to the ground. Taria suddenly saw a flyer with a similar light color to Nimble but as she grabbed her up from the ground, she realized her mistake. The fallen flyer's body had been crushed but enough remained for her to know it was not her. She took a brief sigh in growing desperation as she heard an agonized but clear call from Pterano.

"Come here, Taria. Kero spoke the truth." He called as the female looked at him in surprise. With careful movements, she began to approach him but to be completely honest, she felt no fear, no regret at those news. She had never looked up to Nimble or even respected her as she had often seen the now-deceased flyer as a weak and too hesitant for someone in her position. Taria's expression was highly unmoved as she arrived to Pterano's side.

Nimble lied in the middle of a small hill in the middle of the large plains, the ground sparkles already burying much of her quickly cooling body. Unlike many other flyers' remains, Nimble's face was practically unscathed by the fall but it was more than clear to the two that her whole backside was completely crushed to pieces. Pterano sighed in regret as another cold gust moved past him. Nimble's face had forever frozen into a mask of shock and horror, a testament to Longcrest's betrayal and her untimely death. The flyer's light-blue color almost blended into the whiteness surrounding her and Pterano knew there was only one thing left to do.

With minimal gestures, the male kneeled beside the deceased flyer and put his hands on her eyes and slowly and gently, pulled her eyelids down, as if to bid good luck on her final flight to the Great Beyond. After that brief gesture, he rose up and looked into the far distance to see the wind throwing the ground sparkles all around. Many lives had been extinguished today but only one of them would be remembered in the future. A terrifying thought for all those who had given their lives for the dozens of other dinosaurs whose lives had ended on this day. With a silent voice, Pterano spoke to the other flyer.

"There's nothing more here for us. Let's go give our report to Lenel." And after those words, he gave the call the call to the two other flyers further in the distance. After they had reached him, the four dinosaurs left that one place for the very last time. The small, wind-beaten hill in the middle of the endless wastes of the Mysterious Beyond, the nearby small stream's waters gentle lipping bidding farewell to the flyer who only a small while ago had worked for her herd's best as she had always done.

* * *

A gentle thud could be heard as the orange flyer's feet hit the ground below him. Peak took a few breaths to calm himself down from the many hours of constant flying even if he knew there was no time for it really. He was slightly relieved that the battle had not resumed but he knew another fight was very soon in the horizon. He frowned deeply as he looked at the rest of the herd landing on this small plain which still held some, withered remains of green food, full well knowing the seriousness of what had happened. But if the others thought they could single-handedly tell him what to do, they were in for a surprise.

Yet, deep down Peak knew he had made a mistake. If it was proven beyond any doubts, he would be ready to apologize and make amends before Nimble's followers but he had done what any sensible leader should have. He had shielded his own herd from any ambushes and made sure it wouldn't be them who had to suffer. Nobody could deny that even if he knew his hand was far from a good one in the coming argument. He knew Lenel had grown to despise him heartily and Nira wouldn't likely be any softer towards him either. He looked at the others in worry before he raised his gaze at the small group of flyers who had followed him closely.

His heart grew heavy once again as he saw his mate's absence in the line of his family, the fate having separated them only a few months before. Only one of his brothers, his aunt and his two children, as well as Ortin remained of his glorious line. It pained him to see them in such small numbers but it made it only so much more important to safeguard their future. He spoke to them as they landed one by one, knowing he didn't have a lot of time before he'd have to join the others in this critical meeting.

"Stay here while I'll go put the others in their place. I won't let them dishonor Nimble's memory by trying to use her death to blackmail me." He said coldly, knowing the hypocrisy of his words but his family knew nothing about what had happened. He didn't like lying to them but the delicate situation left him no choice. He looked in slight worry as his daughter answered to him.

"But why would they do so? None of this is your fault!" She asked with an utterly innocent voice which made the older flyer hesitate for a moment. The blind belief her daughter was showing towards him was truly heartwarming but he had to think about his appearances. With the coldness and unmovable composure which had become his trademark, Peak answered to the young girl.

"We are all just worried about what will happen now, Gust. I'll tell more when I have some more information about all this." Peak said, preparing to leave for the inevitable meeting. However, he was once more interrupted by another of the young ones.

"Just make sure all of this will end now! I don't want anyone to suffer the same fate as dad and all the others!" Ortin said, his face seeming disturbingly haunted as the ghosts of his own tragedy returned to his mind after all the death he had seen today. The yesterday's meeting with Petrie had already saddened him greatly and even now, he wanted to think of the other boy as a friend. However, all the drama between the two and Glide as well as the sudden battle had turned his mind into a completely unsolvable mess. All he wanted now was some stability to decided what should be done in the future. Peak looked at his young relative with a slightly sympathetic look, knowing the depth of his sorrow. Even if Ortin wasn't his own son, he owned it to his cousin to keep the boy safe as long as he could.

"You have my word about it, Ortin. I'll do my best to make the others see reason. Stay safe while I'm gone." The orange flyer said as he took off towards a small dale by the river surrounded by range of hills. There he'd make sure to do all in his power to keep his family's honor intact, no matter the cost.

* * *

The female flyer eyed the other dinosaurs around her, the seriousness of the moment more than tangible in the air. It wasn't usual that the leader's mates were invited to these kinds of gatherings which was another indicator of what was at stake here and Sireia would make her best to support her mate and the duo's lifelong quest even now. She stood at Lenel's side, making it more than clear she would act as more than as a mere spectator today.

Other dinosaurs present were Nira and her sister Haste as well as four of the herd members who had stood by Nimble's side at the decisive hour. It felt extremely awkward to have only three of the leading families together instead of the usual four as Nimble had never taken a mate nor had any children. As a further aspect to her tragedy, her revered family had died with her. However, those thoughts mattered little as Peak's form appeared in the horizon. Sireia felt awkward herself as the four survivors of Nimble's group hadn't had the time to tell nearly anything of value yet and so the nature of today's battle would be had to be investigated in this meeting as well. Sireia looked with an unreadable expression as Peak landed near the others, the flyers forming a rough circle between the low hills. The ground sparkles were still falling with the same intensity as before but the attendees were close enough to each other for the weather to be of little consequence. Seeing everyone was present, Lenel took the liberty to speak the first words of the gathering.

"We all know we're here to try to come up with some ideas on how to regain our herd's trust after today's horrible tragedy. I could already hear some of our followers gossip about our inability to keep them safe." The pale flyer said before taking a brief pause. The other leaders looked at each other in suspicion while the flyers who had witnessed Nimble's downfall looked mostly outraged. Lenel himself was seething internally, wanting nothing more than to teach a lesson or two to Peak about abandoning one's allies in the hour their need. Nira continued from where Lenel had left off, knowing there was no need to hide any of the issues from the other flyers here.

"If we understood correctly, Nimble and her group were attacked directly and the attacker fled before we could do anything to help. While the question about how they knew about our position at all in that weather is a good question in itself, there are even more disturbing things at play here. Namely the honored Longcrest's betrayal and Peak's failure to lend his aid in the thick of the battle." Nira cast an accusing glance at the male which immediately prompted a response. Nira wasn't any more content with the orange male than Lenel but she had to restrain her true feelings in an effort to keep the meeting calm.

"And with traitors like him, any sensible flyer should hesitate to rush to battle judging by only one flyer's words. I will apologize to the herd if you can prove there wasn't a larger group of traitors among us and that the damned attacker wasn't threatening all of us. Not before that." Peak said with a louder voice which he dropped slightly after realizing escalating the situation would do very little to help his position. However, those words failed miserably in trying to keep the others from getting agitated. Kero immediately turned to look at Peak and growled to him in outrage.

""One flyer"? Nimble herself sent me, one of her deputies, to seek help! What should have I done differently!? You killed her just as much as the attackers did, Peak!" The young flyer cried in rage, willing to extract his own justice on Peak immediately. Seeing that this argument would soon get out of hand, Lenel crossed his hands and spoke before Peak could answer.

"I fear Kero might be right but we mustn't make any false accusations. No one knows what they'll do in times of danger and we must wait until the end of this meeting before we'll blame anyone directly." He said even if his face communicated his disgust at Peak's actions. He looked in slight surprise as Haste started to speak next. The female was often grumpy and overly self-righteous which caused her to be relatively disliked within the eyes of most of the other herd members.

"Then let us stop rambling and try to get something done! You four, did you see anything about the attackers or their leader? I hope you didn't come here just to waste our time." She said as her usual angry tone earned some annoyed glances. Haste wasn't usually invited to these kinds of meetings but Nira wanted someone she believed she could trust to accompany her today. She had made her distaste at Nira's decisions clear in the past but apparently the two were still in somewhat good terms with each other. Kero and the other three survivors of the heat of the battle looked at her in anger before one rather young female stood forward. She refrained from any kinds of angered looks, her mind's eye instead focusing on those vague forms in that white sky.

"I think I saw the one whom the others seemed to follow. It was all very unclear and blurred as you might understand but I think it was a dark brown male. He had an unusually large crest but otherwise, he didn't seem all that strong physically. However, his moves were very quick and his constant attacks caused a constant threat to Nimble. Oh, poor Nimble…" She shook her head as she tried to wave off the growing melancholy of this day. Sireia narrowed her eyes as she listened to those words. Almost instinctually, she demanded another answer from the younger female.

"Do you remember anything of note about his voice or his face?" She asked in slight expectation, the younger female's descriptions stirring some memories in her mind. She had met many famous flyers in her life and she couldn't say for sure if her guess is right judging only by those vague descriptions. She listened with great interest as one of the other flyers stepped forward and answered that question.

"I don't know about his voice but I thought I saw a long, gaping scar in his throat. It must have been near to a lethal one back when he received it." At this point, another flyer also realized whom the others were talking about. All the gazes turned to Peak as he spoke to the others.

"I always knew that cursed Deron would spell trouble again. I should have finished him when I had the chance." He said with an angered, faraway look in his eyes. The name was unknown to all others in the herd which prompted a slightly annoyed question from Nira. She glanced at her mate, as if to ask whether he knew anything about the issue.

"Who is Deron and how do you know about him? Speak!" The atmosphere of distrust only increased further as it became clear this had been a threat Peak had never told the others about. More and more seemed to be learned about him by the minute which hardly made his situation any easier. Peak spat to his right before he gave his answer.

"He was an arrogant upstart I met many Cold Times ago on one of the driest seasons I can remember. He tried to challenge me and my herd for one of the last patches of green food anywhere near and of course that lowborn, stupid boy lost! He had managed to make quite a name beforehand but after I had totally humiliated him before his followers, I thought he had learned his lesson. It was only later I heard he had survived and willing to have his revenge against me." He said bitterly, clearly bothered by these news. Those words quickly earned another outburst from Kero.

"So you knew that we had a potentially dangerous enemy somewhere yet you never bothered to even tell us about it! I guess it was your idea to let us think we were safe and let your "allies" do your dirty work for you! Is that it?" He cried, all of his anger slowly erupting out from his mind. Peak, however, had had enough. He moved closer to the insolent flyer and before anybody could react, he scratched a long, gaping wound to the other male's cheek and growled to him in deep hate.

"You aren't fit to blame me about anything, weakling! Say that one more time and…" His words were quickly cut short as Kero attempted to repay his attack in kind, his arm only to be grabbed by the older dinosaur but just as he was about to continue his assault, Kero's three companions suddenly surrounded Peak and tied him against a nearby rock. He was just about to object when Lenel suddenly walked towards him, his eyelids trembling in unreleased hate.

"When I and Sireia invited you to join our growing numbers, we made it more than clear that we should act as one and share all our knowledge with each other to counter these kinds of threats! Not only have you directly betrayed your word but you have also attacked your fellow herd member without a good reason! What a complete waste!" He said as he prevented himself from losing his patience even more badly. However, Peak quickly fought off the other dinosaurs and moved closer to Lenel and answered to him with a similar tone. He took slight relief from the knowledge that Lenel couldn't take this matter any further or he'd risk a complete breakdown of his whole herd now that Nimble was no longer here.

"And some of you have betrayed me even more severely! Someone in this herd commanded that old fool to murder Wenan, my cousin, and you forced me to back down from finding out who! I never thought Deron would have the guts to attack us again and that's why I never told about him! These kinds of claims are meaningless when compared to the fact that we have had two traitors among us lately and who knows how many more are lurking among us!" Peak shouted, his suspicious look making it more than clear that he meant that he didn't trust anyone around him. He had already thought about it but there was no reason to let out his final trump card… not yet. Lenel looked at him for a moment but he soon decided that pushing this issue further wouldn't be helpful. He needed Peak and in an effort to this straightly accusing him of treachery would truly risk a breakdown of his life's work. He merely waved his head and turned around while giving his answer.

"That's what I'd like to know, Peak. As things are, anyone could be the one who ordered his death. I had thought that that old flyer acted alone but today puts things in a completely new perspective." He said bitterly, looking at the others present in growing anger. Since when had his young self's dream turned into this haven of plotters and hypocritical backstabbing? Peak looked after the light-colored flyer in an expression which was no less antagonistic than that of Lenel's. The threatening situation was quickly shattered by a remark from Haste. After those words, it was clear he was far from informed about the whole truth of the herd's disarray.

"Why in earth do you bring this up again? Wenan was killed by that one traitor and that's that! Why would these tragedies be connected in any way?" She asked in a suspicious look, clearly not enjoying the situation in any way. However, her question quickly answered by Sireia whose eyes bored deep into the male.

"Because there is someone or some group inside our herd that is trying to weaken us and hurt our chances to work together! Never before has any of our family members been killed by our own followers and when that is followed by another hit such as this, there is no doubt about it. Longcrest was one of them and now he can spread the information about our plans to any other madman who yearns for our blood! And the worst part is that I don't think those two were even working alone! With Nimble gone, they have already succeeded in seriously threatening our authority." Sireia said in clear anger. Her comment was quickly rebuked by Nira who seemed mentally exhausted by all that was happening but her point only underlined the great dilemma the three leaders were now forced to face.

"What do you propose we do, then? Torture our own herd members until they break down and say they were willing to kill their own friends? Is that what we've come to?" Nira cried to Sireia who immediately gave her answer. However, none of them noticed one additional pair of eyes which appeared under the shadow of one of the hills surrounding the scene.

* * *

Petrie hadn't managed to get a moment's worth of rest ever since the end of the battle. His uncle had been busy with his own duties and he simply didn't want to suffer the agonizing atmosphere of the herd. As the long, lonely minutes passed on slowly and the extremely worried looks of the herd's leaders became more apparent, the boy noticed his old instincts make themselves known once again. As on so many occasions in the Great Valley, his seemingly-peaceful life was turned upside down and Petrie wasn't a flyer to simply sit idly as things went horribly wrong. That will to act was one the things his friends had planted too deeply within him for it to ever leave him, the flyer figured.

His heart beat in his chest as he peeked to look at the older flyers, the ground sparkles conveniently making it hard to spot the small dinosaur leaning against a far larger rock. There were a few flyers circling the skies above him, most likely guarding the gathered leaders' safety, but with any luck they wouldn't see him through the ground sparkles and shady hiding place. The boy didn't know himself if there was any reason for him to take this risk but it was at least better than to stay with the others and be forced to listen to their whining or, even worse, meet Eleria or Hoist alone. The young flyer peeked towards the gathering, just in time to hear Sireia's angered words.

* * *

"No but we have to make the others trust us again and slowly, one by one, seek for the traitors and take them out! That's the only way we can keep our herds as one!" She said, knowing her words were easier said than done. If there truly was a larger collusion between Deron and the members of the herd, it was likely they'd go to any lengths to hide their true loyalties. However, her ponderings were interrupted by Haste's next remark.

"And then what? Do you really believe the others will approve of you secretly killing your own followers because of your doubts? When the word spreads of today's battle, we all know to whom all the blame will be directed towards! They'll demand action or we'll all be seen as ineffective fools!" She shouted as she looked at Peak. The orange flyer looked at her with a murderous look but before he could answer, Lenel opened his mouth while scratching at the corner of his eye.

"We'll get to that later, Haste, but first we should agree on the points we can all agree on. First of all, I second my mate's proposition of finding the traitors among us. Of course we'll have to explain this to the others but I think they'll believe us if we simply act and work together. However, we have to use flyers no one knows will work for us as our eyes or our enemies will never reveal themselves." He said in a tired voice, increasingly worried by this meeting's conclusion. He knew this was one "easy" issue but Haste was right in that Nimble's followers would never accept Peak escaping from his horrifying failure without a clear punishment. However, executing the possible traitors would be difficult without the cooperation of Peak's herd which would require him to accept whatever sanctions were coming his way. Luckily, Nira answered to him before he could dwell further in his own fears.

"I agree. None of us knows what Deron and Longcrest are after and if our best tracker was indeed a traitor, none of the others can be counted out either. However, it would also help if we only knew more of our enemy. We should send someone to search for information about him from the other herds and if he has earned any additional enemies. We cannot let him get away with this." Nira said, cringing at what was to come. However, she knew none of the leaders could ever again truly trust each other as there was a chance that some of them could, no matter how distasteful the thought was, be working together with Deron. Nimble's absence made things extremely volatile and even before the others could know it, someone could have very easily took advantage of the chaos. All of the heads present turned to look at Peak as he answered.

"Indeed. While it may be my fault that he didn't face his end long ago, I will grant my help and support to you on that upcoming search and investigations… if we keep Kero's words a secret." He said simply, quickly receiving a stunned glance from the other flyer. Kero was just about to object when he realized there was nothing to be gained from escalating the situation. A silence reigned for a few seconds as the others thought about how to answer best to Peak's proposal. All of them knew his words were rather reasonable but on the other hand, hiding the truth would hardly benefit anyone in the long run. Lenel, knowing his lifelong project was on the line, looked at Peak and despite parts of his mind crying against what he was going to say, gave his answer to the orange-colored male.

"While I appreciate your cooperation, Peak, I'm afraid that won't do. Do you really expect that to stay a secret given how many will be touched by your mistake? Do you expect us to dishonor Nimble and her family's memory by lying about her downfall?" Lenel said, waiting for Nira to continue from where he had left off. This was the part the two had dreaded the most but they had decided this would be the only settlement to the herds' feud that could stand a chance of success. The female walked to his side and with equally grave voice, she spoke to Peak.

"Such a decision, if it were revealed, would spell an end to our herd, Peak. All of us make mistakes but when a flyer is in your position and has your responsibility, those mistakes have consequences you have to pay. We have been forced to stomach your opposition to most of our plans for many Cold Times even if they have often hurt us more than benefited. We have always listened to your concerns and in return we've received only distrust and arrogance. Yet, time and time again, you have also proven to be a reasonable leader and a trusted ally but now, we ask you to once again show such wisdom. We ask you to leave the leadership of your herd and to pass it to one of your family emembers, most likely to your brother." Nira said, never breaking her eye contact with Peak for a moment. She breathed heavily, knowing the next few seconds would decide many things about the herd's future. After she had concluded, Peak's expression stayed unmoving for a few moments, apparently registering what he had just heard. The tension was tangible in the air as he slowly raised his gaze to Lenel and Nira and as the words started to flow out of his mouth.

"So it was always about this, wasn't it? Regardless of whether it was you or someone else who helped Deron in his despicable attack, I cannot believe you are attempting to use her death this directly for your own ends! Right after you blame me for trying to disrespect her memory? I will have none of this!" He panted as he looked at his peers, his worst fears slowly beginning to materialize before his very eyes. So the others were actually attempting to dethrone him in favor of his incapable, slow-witted brother! Oh, that would suit them very well! Peak nearly snapped as Lenel spoke to him, the tension between them once again growing to a dangerous degree.

"We rule over the others simply because we have proven to be capable of recreating the legendary deeds of our ancestors, Peak. So were you for a long time but you lost your right to claim Deria's legacy when you failed your ally and those who trusted in you! That is the pact each of us has with our herds and when that pact is lost, so is your ability to lead the others. Do as you are told and we'll let you stay with us and no further harm will come to you. I and Nira promise you this much." Lenel said, hoping these old traditional ways would make Peak see reason. The light-colored knew he was correct but actually trying to strip another member of the Great Families of their power was an extremely rare punishment, one that was most often replaced by some other option. Yet, neither Nira nor Lenel saw a better way to see this situation through. Peak immediately looked at his two opponents in disbelief, taking a short pause before he asked extremely sharply.

"You promise me a life of humiliation and defeat? Tell me honestly, Lenel and Nira, what kind of leader would accept such an ultimatum, especially when his own family is under serious threat? Would you doom your own children to a life of fear and shame? I demand you to pull black this demand at this very moment!" Peak cried to the other flyer who realized that this argument was getting extremely dangerous but even if he believed in Peak's words, he and Nira had already put their own credibility on the line here. There could be no backing off now without at least a major compromise. He listened in gratefulness as he heard Nira take the matters in her own hands.

"And let your mistake go unpunished? You know as well as we do that this is the best, the only way to go forward! You have to swallow your pride and do what's best for you and all of us! We promise we'll keep you and your family safe. Or don't you trust that any of them will be able to take your place as the head of your line? Do you really distrust them that much?" Nira tried to reason, inwardly understanding Peak's hesitancy to negotiate about this issue but she also grew increasingly annoyed by his antics. She had accepted Lenel and Sireia's original offer to unite the duo's herds simply because she believed it would keep her own followers safe and that it could be a way for her to claim a more important place among all the flyers of the Mysterious Beyond. But now, the promise of safety seemed like a complete joke and the herd itself seemed to be unraveling at a rapid pace with Lenel not able to do much about it. In her heart, she slowly began to understand that things would never be able to return to what they were on this very morning. Nimble's death had broken even the flickers of trust that had existed earlier.

* * *

The young flyer listened to the meeting in complete astonishment and worry. Had the wind somehow made him hear wrong or were Lenel and Nira really trying to force Peak to stand down? He hadn't spent too much time within the herd but even he realized he was witnessing something of great importance. Petrie didn't have the slightest of ideas how but Ortin and Glide had made the four, or now three, highest ranked flyers of the herd seem nearly indispensable for their safety. Peak had seemed like a hesitant but rather reasonable dinosaur during his joining contest and he could only guess about the reasons why he was suddenly this hated.

Suddenly, Petrie saw a vague shadow above him, reminding the boy that he wasn't supposed to be here. Shortly after the guard's passing, Petrie slowly crept deeper under the cliff and threw some more ground sparkles on himself. He shivered heavily but that was something that he was willing to go through in order to witness this meeting until the end. It was highly unlikely anyone would miss him, anyway.

* * *

"The question isn't about whether I trust them but none of them are capable of taking my place and you know it as well as I do. In the end, your or any other dinosaur's promises are worth completely nothing. Isn't that right, Lenel?" Peak answered, taking a smile which immediately made the surrounding flyers' blood run cold. The deep disgust and slowly released grudge were slowly released but none of them knew what the orange male actually meant. However, those words prompted the light colored dinosaur to step forward and answer in an angry voice. Every muscle in Lenel's face was completely stiff as he spoke.

"And what does that mean, Peak? Are you now claiming we've betrayed you by forcing you to face the consequences of your own mistakes? Are you?" He said as he stared at Peak's eyes. However, he was slightly taken aback as his opponent didn't seem to care about his insult in the least. Instead, he took a few steps to his side and after a moment, he gave his answer.

"I see you've spent a lot of effort to hide your true intentions, haven't you Lenel? When I was invited to your pathetic group of "allies", you told me your only goals were the hopes of uniting at least some of our kind to the mighty, harmonious herd they were in the time of our old stories. There was never a word about your willingness to use us as mere stepping stones to finding your dear ancestor's secret. I wonder why that was never brought up?" He said as all of the faces around him turned to stunned and disbelieving ones. What was Peak talking about? Olres' story was well known to all of them but Lenel had never spoken of him to the others. Where had Peak's sudden and unbelievable claim suddenly come from? All eyes turned to Lenel as he prepared to rebuke this outrageous attack.

"What in the name of the Bright Circle are you talking about? Olres' secret is a mere story and no flyer in his right mind would ever even try to search for it! That claim is not only ludicrous but it also insults my family!" Lenel cried as he looked murderously at Peak. However, most of his disbelief was directed at the question of how Peak knew about it. Only Telo, his now-deceased teacher, and Sireia knew all about his motives and he trusted them both greatly. Peak disengaged from the standoff before he began to walk around, looking at each of the other attendees.

"I have more ways to gather knowledge than most would think. Isn't it rather interesting that a leader of a dwindling herd suddenly has a vision to begin walking in the footsteps of our greatest legends seemingly without any special prize for himself? I've heard about the antics of Lenel's herd's own storyteller and nothing was more important to him than seeing the rebirth of Olres' family! We have all been used but still, I wanted to see our effort succeed because of my own children, my own family! Yet, now I know how things really are." Peak grinned, a sense of victory already apparent in the eyes of the others.

However, his words hit Nira the worst as her mind flew back to the day when Lenel had approached her for the very first time. Back then, she had also been gullible and inexperienced and she had only looked at things from the perspective of her own benefit. Of course, she had weighed heavily the threats of such a move but Lenel and Sireia's friendly and excited faces had made her confident of their sincerity soon enough. That most beautiful of Warm Times had seemed like an endless blessing and soon enough, she had taken the duo's cause as her own and not once had she looked back… until now. With a dark look, she turned to Lenel and asked him a question which only further increased the tension within the group of flyers.

"Lenel, you told me back then we would be building our future on the basis of our kind and families' pasts. You even mentioned that "in time, we all will find whatever we are looking for." Is that what you meant?" She asked in growing doubt and disbelief as she looked at the light-colored male. However, it wasn't he who answered to her question. Sireia stepped towards her and narrowed her eyes heavily as she answered.

"We only meant what any flyer or our status would have said! What my mate said carried only a symbolic meaning of our kind's destiny as a united kind of dinosaurs surrounded by those barbaric landwalkers. Peak has clearly gotten out of his mind." She said as she looked at Peak who returned her glance. Her point was soon reinforced by Kero who wanted nothing more than to see Peak crushed in this argument.

"I second to that! Ever since Wenan's death, he has been only a shadow of himself and coming up with lies to defend his words only proves it! Please, Lenel and Nira, relieve him of his command!" He said pleadingly to the two. However, Nira merely looked at the ground before she realized just how little there was for her to believe. Sireia had seemed far too eager to disprove Peak's words and even then, she would hardly support the words of someone who in essence called her and her mate traitors and liars. Yet, it would be unlikely that she'd hear anything but lies and emotion-based claims from Peak either. However, the tension of the moment was momentarily broken by a loud cry less than one longneck's length to their left.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" A loud cry suddenly broke Petrie's peace as the sudden screech penetrated the sky. He barely had the time to turn around until a menacing shadow seemed to drop right at him. The boy's mind had already been already overflowing with the meeting and the feeling of dread had only grown with each passing second. The possibility of direct combat seemed very real and no matter what, this gathering would barely end without a major decision. However, all of that was swept aside as Petrie heard the sudden call. If he were caught peeking at this highly sensitive meeting, it would be probable that he might even be banished from the herd.

However, the guard had chosen his attacking direction cleverly. His large size blocked any hopes Petrie had of escaping in his direction, making the small spot between the hills his only option of even dreaming of escaping this threatening situation. If he was caught now, there was no telling of all the things he could be accused of. The boy took a sudden leap upwards, praying in his mind that the ground sparkles would hide him long enough for him to escape without being recognized. He owed that much to his uncle, if not for anyone else.

Without the least of warnings, another flyer suddenly flushed out from the sky right towards Petrie, clearly attempting to stop the young dinosaur's flight. However, Petrie was far too angered at the whole world to let this another obstacle hinder him. Realizing that the guard had a far better wind than him, Petrie suddenly turned downward, hoping that this unexpected move would even the odds. He cringed slightly as his belly touched the white surface of this newborn world, a testament to the daringness of his escape. Even the slightest of gusts would throw him to the ground, ending any hopes he had of escaping. However, just as the other guard was about to reach him, Petrie utilized another breath of wind and to everyone's surprise, took off towards Nira at full speed.

* * *

The female looked in surprise as a young flyer approached her from the whiteness of the sky, for the slightest of moments forgetting her situation. She was already preparing to defend herself from a potential attack when she saw him suddenly head towards the heights, quickly disappearing from her sight. This brief incident only deepened her worries as the guards seemingly weren't even up to this simple task. An omen which hardly held anything good for the herd.

 _Did Petrie lose them? Or are they still after me?_

Even Petrie himself couldn't believe the ease at which he had managed to lose his chasers. There still could be heard shouts and threats behind him but they were quickly growing fainter. At least this terrible weather had its benefits like this. With any luck, nobody would find out the identity of that young flyer who had mysteriously infiltrated that most important of meetings.

Yet, those thought began to immediately bother Petrie. Would Peak be able to see reason or would the argument get out of hand and even end in violence? At this point, the only thing mattered was that he and his uncle would make it out safely of all this. To Petrie, everything was completely optional after the loss of his new friends. Yet, he'd look forward to seeing how things would develop from here. And he had an inkling he'd learn of it soon enough.

Peak looked at the sky in deep annoyance, frustrated that the meeting had been interrupted by one brat who didn't know where he wasn't supposed to stich his beak into. He could only hope he'd be caught later on but right now, some lost child was the last of his concerns. He hadn't forgotten Kero and Sireia's last insult and right now, he knew the time had come. This was a moment from which there was simply no return. Not after all the distrust and bad blood that had been released in this conversation. Peak's gaze fell suddenly as he could only guess what kind of reaction his next words would prompt. Slowly but surely, he then raised his eyes again and started to speak in a low and apologizing voice.

"I assure all of you, my words weren't a lie but I guess none of that matters at this point. No one of you will believe anything I say anymore anyway. Nimble's unfortunate passing and its aftermath leave me no options but to announce mine and my followers' withdrawal from our common herd." Suddenly, the air froze still as Peak's words stunned everyone who heard those fateful words. Even after all this, no one had expected Peak to go this far but apparently they were all proven wrong. Sireia looked at the male in utter disbelief before she crossed her hands and answered in an utterly toxic voice, one even she knew would help any potential reconciliation any.

"You're ready to make this move after all this time? Has our common dream really meant nothing to you, Peak? I and my mate have done our all to forge a herd worthy of our pride and you are just going to throw it all away because of your stupidity?" She asked, willing to blackmail the renegade leader if nothing else. There was nothing more she could do as any of the founders of the herd could leave it at will even if none of them had done it before. Peak glanced at the tan-colored female but knew better than to fall into her trap.

"We will leave after all of my old friends have recovered from their wounds. After that, we'll treat you as any other herd we'll meet in the future. My decision is final." He said as he followed Lenel's reaction to his announcement. He was panting from disbelief, willing to shake today off as some kind of waking nightmare. In a matter of mere hours, his worst fears were coming true without him having the power to stop the sickening flow of events. With a growling, outraged voice, he begun to speak to the orange colored male.

"You've made a terrible mistake, Peak. I always thought you were too weak for the vision the three of us always shared. But know that your departure means little. We will survive just as well without…" At this point, his outburst was suddenly interrupted by another female voice to his left. Lenel was shocked that he was interrupted like this but the next thing he heard was one that broke his composure finally and completely.

"No, Lenel. It's over. Without two of our leaders and the trust between us two gone, there's no future for our united herd, no matter what. I'm sorry." She said silently, fully realizing the implications of her words. No matter how much she despised Peak's decision, she could see there was no reversing his sudden announcement. And if there was any truth to the orange male's words, Lenel had been far from honest with his words earlier and at this point, she didn't know what or who to believe. Her trust in this herd had passed with Nimble's death and the trio's failure to come up with any good ideas on how to move on from her loss.

Lenel, on the other hand, felt his heart stop at those words. Had Nira actually said what he thought? The same flyer who had joined his cause full of optimism on the most precious Warm Time of his life? He treasured the memories of those days without an end but now, even those golden times seemed to be stained by his own failure. With a haunted and disappointed look on his face, he turned to Nira and whispered in deep shock.

"Are you serious, Nira? Do you mean those words?" He asked simply, hoping against hope to hear her answer negatively but a mere nod greeted his eyes. Not even a sudden cry from Haste seemed to drag him away from his mental anguish.

"Don't do this, Nira! We're still far safer with larger numbers! If we go through with this, we'll just be one of those weak and vulnerable groups of flyers which are continuously attacked by sharpteeth and other herds! Is that what you really want? Is it?" The dark-colored flyer asked, her voice filled with antagonism and disappointment. Nira immediately frowned at that question and rebuked her sister's whining about her decision.

"I asked you here only to advice and support me, not question my decisions in front of the others! If you have nothing else to say, then be silent! I wouldn't announce these kinds of decisions lightly, Haste." She said bitterly. She and her sister seemed to agree about anything very rarely and she had hesitated a long time about whether to ask her here even now but unlike usual, Haste had seemed quite eager to attend this gathering. The younger sibling looked at Nira in annoyance before she seemingly conceded to her sister's will.

"Mark my words, Nira, this was a serious mistake and one we'll regret later." She said before crossing her arms. Lenel looked around himself in apparent defeat, his gaze slowly moving around the circle of flyers he had only a while ago seen as his loyal companions. To think all his life's work would end like this… it was just too much to bear. He listened to Nira's call as the female exchanged final glances with Peak.

"We had many good times together but everything ends in time. My herd will leave for good tomorrow morning. Have a safe journey, all of you. I doubt we'll meet again anytime soon." She said simply before taking off. Peak prepared to follow her but before that, he addressed his former fellow leader in a mixture of apology and triumph.

"I hope you'll see your mistakes in time, Lenel. For you did more than your share during our times together, your dishonesty being the worst of them." He said before heading into the sky. The emotion of the moment filled Lenel slowly and he slowly collapsed to his knees, his breaths growing heavy under the gentle falling of the white sparkles from the unknown heights of the sky. Now, it was likely he'd never learn Olres' secret, he'd never be remembered as anything other than just another fool who wasn't strong or clever enough to halt his legacy's slow death. And worst of all, he had betrayed his mate's trust in him and only led her to the life of failure and disappointment. However, unlike his mother and distant ancestors, Sireia was still here and he'd be able to at least make amends with her. However, the look in his mate's eyes was something he hadn't expected in the least. It wasn't a look of anger, not of defeat and certainly not one of blame. It was a look of righteous rage but it wasn't directed at him.

Suddenly, Lenel's emotions stopped swirling as his and Sireia's eyes locked at each other. Almost magically, the duo's minds seemed to join together, revealing their thoughts to each other. And looking at the female's burning eyes, Lenel realized this wasn't the end. All wasn't over yet as long as the final breakup of the herd hadn't come to pass. And it never would as he and his mate would make sure of it, one way or another.

* * *

 **And just like that, the herd that took years to bring together has seemingly split apart in one day. However, Lenel and Sireia don't seem to be willing to see their work go to waste and no one can say what this will bear for the battered group of flyers as well as for Petrie and his uncle… This chapter was quite a challenge to write as it held so many scenes that had to be handled very carefully but I hope I managed to make this important installment an interesting one! Go on and tell me what you think of it! :)**

 **The Rhombus: I'm glad you like my portrayal of Detras even if I have to admit your portrayal of him influenced me a lot, too. As for Pearl, she's wasn't injured, she was just searching for food with Orchid elsewhere as spreading out increases their chance of finding something. I'm sorry if that wasn't clear in the scene. As for the rest of the chapter, the fighting scenes with the sharpteeth are quite challenging for me so it's great to hear this turned out alright. :) Th reunion of the fast runners has been a long time in the making but it's true that many of her parents' plans and hopes are shattered for good… It's safe to assume many things will change for Ruby and her companions soon enough.**

 **The RedDragoon: It's great to see a detailed review from a new reader so thank you a lot for that! Your kind words really mean a lot to me and I hope I can improve as this story turns to its second half. And yeah, it's rather rare that members of the Gang die in a major fic and I'm quite surprised nobody was upset by that choice.**

 **As for the OCs, thank you for the warning. I realize most people reading a fanfic may want to thread on more familiar grounds but as you most likely have noticed, this story is getting rather OC heavy, especially on Petrie's storyline. However, Petrie and Ruby will be the main characters in the future too so there won't be changes in that part. And I'm really glad to hear you're enjoying the new characters in Petrie's storyline! I truly appreciate your kind words and support!**


	26. One Journey's End

**One Journey's End**

Orchid grinned expectantly as he listened to the relieved but fearful chattering of the three fast runners slowly approaching him and his sister. He had been puzzled by his older sister's quick departure to search for her friend as he would have wanted to greet her long-lost sibling as soon as possible after her miraculous survival in the horrifying fight against the two sharpteeth. He and Arial exchanged eager glances as they looked at Ruby, Greentail and Yarel slowly walk towards the small glade covered by a thick layer of the white ground sparkles whose falling was slowly coming to a halt. Yet the dancing shadows cast by the white skies hid any trace of the young children from anyone who didn't know their exact location.

The girl looked at her sister in worry, also realizing that something terrible had had to happen to her lately. It seemed like none of her family had had an easy time lately but at least she could give Ruby a merry homecoming, reminding her of the endless, better days back when they had all lived together in the safe embrace of the Hanging Rock, long before the arrival of Red Claw or the dictate of Dein and Terri concerning Chomper. Yes, this would be a happy surprise for her after whatever tragedy she had faced in the past weeks…

A heavy burden was slowly building on her heart as Ruby looked at the slippery wastes before her. She was eternally grateful that she and Yarel had made it through the close encounter with the two predators but on the other hand, today's momentous reunion was slowly shredding her mental truce with herself to pieces. Now that she had completed her long journey to warn her family of the terrible danger, did she have the courage to rebuild her life from the scratch? Did she have a place with her family after she had hurt them this badly?

Yet, she wanted to believe the answer to that question could be found right next to herself. For the first time in a few days, Yarel seemed at least somewhat relaxed as the hope for at least some help concerning her sister was within sight. Despite her sickening condition, the only family she had left had gone through it all with her, never losing the sight of which was truly important. The fastrunner knew she didn't deserve the love the thinclaws had shown towards each other but it gave her slight courage that things wouldn't end up as badly as she had feared in her darkest moments. Her moment of pondering was suddenly interrupted as Yarel started to clear his throat but just before he was opening his mouth, a sudden shock swept across the pink fast runner as she was suddenly tackled into the ground sparkles by two smaller dinosaurs. At first her mind began to register it as another attack of a sharpteeth but as two very familiar voices rang in her ears, her face turned into a smile immediately.

"Welcome home, Ruby! It's great to have back with us!" Orchid and Arial cried as they giggled at the sides of their sister whose initial shock wore immediately. The duo's faces radiated as they greeted Ruby which heartened their sibling without end. The thinclaws looked at the three in clear surprise but they realized this was a matter between the fast runners. Ruby gasped a few times before she rose to a sitting position, looking yes wide at her siblings as she answered to them with slight stutter.

"Arial! Orchid! Wh… where did you come from? I thought you were waiting with mommy and daddy, wait with them I thought you did!" She said, not really knowing how to best answer to them. Yet, the two had never been ones to follow their parents' instructions so in the end, this was something she should have expected, the fast runner figured. Orchid walked closer to her, his demeanor mirroring the emotion of the moment. His expression strayed at the border of affection and happiness but somehow he managed to include both of them in this answer.

"We wanted to see you now, Ruby! We never got the chance to greet you before you left again and we wanted to make sure you couldn't escape us this time! We're just happy to see you after all these Cold Times!" The boy said, glancing happily at his younger sister who walked to his side. And deep inside, Ruby understood her siblings completely and after taking a moment to gather her thoughts before finally giving an answer that gave justice to the duo's reaction to her return. She slowly rose back to her legs, rubbing a slight layer of the ground sparkles from her feathers. She then bowed towards the two children and before either of them had a chance to react, closed them both into a tight embrace.

"So am I, Orchid and Arial, so am I. I haven't seen you for too long." She said, the three siblings' embrace continuing on for several seconds as Ruby recalled at their many games together. After a while, the three let go of each other and Ruby asked the two with an unreadable expression.

"How have things gone for you? Have I missed something I shouldn't have missed?" Ruby asked carefully, looking at the innocent faces of her younger siblings. She savored this small nostalgic moment before she'd have to relay her news for her parents. She looked in expectation as Orchid immediately answered.

"There sure is! Last Cold Time, I met the mythical red colored fast biter that can only be seen during the peak of the frigid days! I was so lucky!" The boy said boastfully, more than happy to use his earlier adventure in the freezing cliffs surrounding the Hanging Rock as a source of pride for himself. He had asked his parents and occasional strangers about his mysterious savior many times but he had learned nothing more of him than the vague whispers of the spirit of the Cold Time itself. Ruby looked at him in interest when Arial hit her brother playfully, taking a mock angry look at the other fast runner.

"You sure weren't as you nearly froze to death! Your story of this fast biter was simply a tale you made up in your mind in the night while you waited for rescue!" The girl said, somewhat disappointed at Orchid trying to spread his tale forward as the truth as it was far too incredible for her to believe. Her brother returned the hit just as gently as he rebuked his sister's jealous remark.

"I did not! I was freezing, that is true, but the fast biter led to me to safety! That is the truth!" He said, remembering that day as a combination of one of his most horrifying failures and one of the most incredible wonders in his life. He understood his sister's hesitance to believe him but her next remark hardly helped the two siblings find a common ground.

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

Ruby looked at the sky, shaking her head slightly at the duo's so very familiar and childish antics with great nostalgia. She, too, had heard of the red fast biter but she had always shaken him off as a mere story. But all that mattered was that the two had been spared from similar tragedies to hers and that they were largely unchanged by the hardships of the last months. However, she also knew that she'd have to put a stop to the duo's fight and go meet her parents for their sake and as a gesture of gratitude for the two thinclaws who were slowly beginning to shiver under the merciless beating of the cold wind. Ruby quickly moved forward with a slightly stern look but was careful not to ruin the mood of the reunion.

"Stop that, Orchid and Arial! I'm sure both of you have many more tales to tell me but for now, we should go meet mommy and daddy. Is that okay for you?" She asked in a friendlier look, doing her best to show appreciation for both of them. The children calmed down almost immediately and neither of them seemed to object to the older omnivore's proposition. They both nodded soon to Ruby's words, realizing that that meeting had to commence sooner than later. Ruby's heart swelled to look at her siblings' faces once more but the coming talk spoiled this moment's preciousness. She had to let out the terrifying pressure of guilt before it swallowed her mind whole. She then turned around and called to the two thinclaws who seemed more than eager to continue the journey.

"Come on! It isn't a long way back anymore!" She said before beginning to head towards the spot she had left her parents at. She was happy at the presence of her friends and siblings but none of them knew the depth of her personal disasters. And before they'd reach the bottom of her sickening failures, she would never feel truly at ease around any of them.

* * *

A slight frown appeared on the male's face as he dragged the massive carcass a bit further, the movement only enabled by the slippery, icy ground. Detras would have dearly wanted to question his daughter immediately but he trusted Ruby enough to allow her to get the friend she had spoken of. An atmosphere of uncertainty and doubt flew over him and his mate as they wondered deeply at what had happened. For a long while, however, silence reigned as the two wanted to surprise their daughter with the miraculous source of food Detras and Arial had found before the fight against Dein and Terri. Yet, even if on the outside everything seemed like everything was well, the duo's uncertainty of the future reigned supreme.

After their initial meeting, it was clear that something terrible had happened to Ruby and Chomper and it was more than probable the predators' attack was their daughter's doing. Detras wanted to believe it wasn't so but he dreaded to hear the full truth of Ruby's last days in the Valley. He had always wanted to trust in his daughter but he couldn't help an outraged expression rising to his face or his mind darkening at what was coming. Even if she did her best to hide her own fears, it was clear a similar sentiment was making its way into his mate's thoughts as well.

"She should be able to find us here again, dear. Let's hope she'll be coming back soon." She said, panting slightly from dragging the threehorn's remains to at least a bit closer to their long-lost daughter. Detras glanced at the corpse with a slight melancholy as he had hoped such a find could satisfy his family for at least a few days but Ruby's new friends would most likely force him on another hunt far sooner than he had wished for. Yet, none of that mattered now. All that did was to find out what had happened and how to best safeguard his family's future.

"She should be here at any time. I just wish she isn't the cause for all this. She should have learned far better by now." He said, knowing most leaf eaters would have find his reasoning cold, cruel even, but survival under the countless threats of the world demanded everyone, especially the fast runners, to avoid doing serious mistakes. He could only dread at what was coming and even if he hated the fact himself, he didn't know if he could stand the truth of his daughter's probable failures. Pearl looked at her mate with a slight worry before turning to look at the clearing wastes around her. The female was even more hesitant her mate to acknowledge her own doubts but deep down, she also feared at what she would hear soon.

"We just have to listen to what she has to say before we can think about such things. Even if she has done something brash, all of our children have always proven to think about our common good before themselves. You know it as well as I do." She said, prompting a sudden unsure look from Detras. He suddenly looked around himself before remembering something that momentarily shocked him deeply.

"Speaking of our children, where're Orchid and Arial? I haven't seen them since…" He said, looking at the hill he had commanded them to push down the decisive ball of ground sparkles on the predators. Now they were nowhere to be seen which worried him somewhat. He had completely forgot them in the midst of his conflicting emotions about his eldest child's unexpected return. However, that mystery was solved far quicker than he had expected. A distant childish banter immediately reached his ears and the omnivore turned his gaze to his right, somewhat relieved to see that his younger children had merely followed Ruby and not gotten to any unnecessary danger. However, Detras felt himself grow nervous as he dreaded what his daughter would tell him. He looked in appreciation as his mate chuckled slightly before turning her gaze at the male.

"It seems we don't need to worry about them even half as much as we do, dear. They have always been more resourceful than we give them credit for." She said with a smile that nonetheless failed to hide what lurked behind her friendly façade. She, too, knew what was at stake and she'd make sure Ruby wouldn't get away without answering for her past deeds, no matter hard how hard it would be for the kind-hearted fast runner.

* * *

"What happened to you, Greentail? Why are you walking like that?" Arial asked curiously, looking at the green dinosaur's forced movement and clearly bothered expression. She and her brother were highly curious fast runners and Ruby's mysterious friends raised their interest immediately. They could see the tension in Ruby's face but that didn't prevent them from getting to know the thinclaws who were coming to their home for at least a short time. Greentail herself was far from surprised at the younger half tooth's question but she didn't mind it too badly as the duo's appearance had clearly cheered up the otherwise dark mood over the three other omnivores. Willing to present herself as normal as she could, Greentail gathered herself to speak slowly and as clearly as she could.

"Let's just say it was an accident. I hurt my foot badly the first time we met those damned sharpteeth but it prevented me from partaking in the fight today. But it's getting better by the day." Greentail lied as she wasn't willing to go over all her struggles to the younger girl. She'd most likely learn of it in due time but for now, the answer she gave was as good as any. However, the injured thinclaw wasn't getting any reprieve before she was bombarded with another question.

"Where did you two meet Ruby? Where were you living before then?" Arial asked in interest, not knowing the toll her cheerfulness and interest were taking on Greentail. However, the latter decided to answer on her question once more but her condition forced her to give shorter answers than she would have liked.

"At a forest west from here a few days ago. I and Yarel had stayed there for a long time since… since one very bad day." Greentail sighed in clear annoyance. In truth, she remembered nothing about what she was talking about and without Yarel and Ruby's help, she would never have been able to sate the younger dinosaur's curiosity. Yet, Arial was already trying to present another question to the other female.

"Oh… what hap…" She started before she heard a stern voice before her. Ruby suddenly turned around and faced her sister, willing to give Greentail at least a slightly easier time.

"Arial, you may ask those questions later but for now, let's take it easy! Greentail is as tired of the journey as we are. Let her be for now!" The fast runner said, earning a slight smirk from Greentail. The maimed omnivore hadn't minded Arial's company but she had truly tried the limits of her ability to hide her terrible injury. Arial looked disappointed and somewhat puzzled by Ruby's words but before she had any chance to answer to them, another call from a nearby hill interrupted the small group's banter immediately.

"We're here, Ruby! We've got a surprise for all of you!" The pink fast runner turned to look at the source of the voice and she was surprised to see her parents at another point than the one she had left them in. However, their words brought her slight hopes that the coming meeting wouldn't necessarily be as tense as she had expected. She quickly turned to her siblings and friends and spoke to them in expectation.

"You heard them, heard them you did! Let's see what's waiting for us!"

* * *

All of the young omnivores' eyes grew wide as they saw the massive form of the dead threehorn lie at the ground. Even if they had fought to keep that feeling at bay, it was clear that the three friends were ravenous after the long, difficult days of constant danger and hardship. Ruby had never expected her parents to present her and the others with such a treat but she was more than happy to have been proven wrong. Only Arial looked disappointed to find that this "surprise" had been the same piece of rotting meat she had already complained to her father about. However, she decided against bringing up her distaste at old meat again and simply stayed silent for now. Pearl smiled slightly as she spoke to the younger omnivores in a warm voice.

"I thought you might be hungry after your journey here, young ones. You two are also welcome to join us for helping Ruby return to us." She said, prompting thankful smiles from Yarel and Greentail. It wasn't often that strangers were invited to join another half tooth family's meal and both of them realized the meaning of Ruby's parents' gesture. Yarel answered to her with a careful smile while still retaining some carefulness in this situation.

"Thanks, Ms. Fast Runner. We certainly…" He said somewhat awkwardly but the female cut her short immediately.

"My name's Pearl and my mate is Detras. I'm happy to meet you, Yarel." She said, also noticing that the other thinclaw's situation was rather worrying but she decided against bringing that up just yet. Willing to further break the animosity between the omnivores, she quickly buried her snout into the threehorn's ribcage, more than thankful for finding a dinosaur of this size in these cold wastes. The others joined the meal immediately but it was clear that one question hung over the eating omnivores, one that would have to be left out sooner rather than later. And it was Detras who at last turned his gaze at Ruby and took a demanding look. His voice was soft but it was clear that he demanded a clear and definitive answer.

"Ruby, I know these things might be hard for you to tell but I and your mother would like to know what happened to you in the Valley. And most of all what happened to Chomper." He said, looking at his daughter's blood-soaked face fall immediately. He knew that whatever had happened weighed on her immensely but the threat Dein and Terri possessed to his family was still a very real issue and he'd have to get to the bottom of this in order to decide with his mate the best way to move forward. Ruby looked at her father for a few seconds and swallowed deeply as she prepared to give her answer. She looked absolutely miserable when she opened her mouth again.

"Daddy… Mommy… May I start from the beginning?" She asked carefully but to her slight relief, Pearl answered to her almost instantly.

"Of course, Ruby. Do as you see best." She said, doing her best to reassure her daughter in this terrible moment. She was only partly successful as Ruby's mood fell immediately as her mind returned to the last days of the now long-gone happy days of the last Warm Time. A faraway formed in her eyes as she began to recite the most horrible months of her life.

"Well, it all started on the night of the Late Warm Time's day, just after I and Chomper had returned from the Valley's celebration…" She cringed in deep regret as she recalled her chase for the egg stealers and she lived again the excitement of their recapture of the invaders' catch… as well as the following disaster which still bothered her nearly every night in her sleep stories. However, the last time she had been forced to dwell in her guilt this deeply was when she had recited the true course of actions to her dear, now-departed friends. The mere memory of how much she had lost on that one, single night nearly forced her to her knees but with great effort, she managed to continue her tale.

The income of her daughter's desperate words battered Pearl's mind as she tried to put herself to Ruby's place during Volant's interrogation and the following hours. The only thing that forced her to divide her attention from Ruby's words was the deep breathing of her mate and Detras' scratching of the corner of his eye. Even if Pearl regretted deeply the fact that all of the duo's attempts to unite the Valley against Red Claw lied in ruins but apparently it weighed even more on her mate. However, it was the next part of Ruby's tale that touched her even more than the first one had. Ruby looked at her parents pleadingly as she told where she had continued after her exile from the Great Valley.

"It wasn't long before we decided we should seek you out and ask how we should proceed. At that point, all I wanted was to get Chomper safely home for the sake of our family but… well, you'll hear of it soon. Anyway, we headed for the Hanging Rock immediately but we were relentlessly chased by a sailback sharptooth who I met again later. Or rather our friends were. All the while I tried to think on how to best move forward but I could come up with nothing else than to seek you out. But you weren't at home, at home you weren't." Ruby crossed her hands and let her head droop to the ground, fighting back her sobs. Only now did she realize the amount of tragedy that could have been avoided if her parents had been there to guide her forward. To think that her return to the Valley and what came after would never have happened in that case... Detras looked at her in slight hesitation, his thoughts still swirling at the moment when Ruby had ruined the spiketail's egg but he decided to give his answer. However, his voice was even colder than he intended, startling both his daughter and mate.

"We would have liked to tell you about our departure but we simply didn't have the time because it was a question of mere days before Red Claw would have attacked our home and we never got a chance to send a flyer to the Valley. I'm so sorry about that, Ruby. But if you hadn't tried to play the hero back then, all would still be well and our departure would have meant little." He said, trying his best to let Ruby finish her story before making any judgements but he was already getting annoyed by Ruby's inexcusable actions. Pearl cast her mate an angered look and spoke to him quickly.

"She only tried to do what she thought was best, as should we all, Detras! We cannot judge her for that!" She said while putting her hands on her hips. She also regretted Ruby's choice but she would never use this situation to attack her own daughter. Detras snorted slightly at that comment, always more eager to mind his own business in the wide and dangerous world than his mate. Yet, he let out that argument be and the duo returned their gazes at the younger omnivore. However, a third pair of ears listened to her story just as eagerly as her parents.

Yarel decided against interrupting his friend's tale but he was more than happy to hear about her past. The girl's constantly fearful and saddened behavior as well as her mysterious relationship with Dein and Terri had puzzled him greatly. She had never told about what had happened, aside from Chomper's death, which was something Yarel had never really approved off but at least she had told him about that. And thus far, he had a terrible feeling he wouldn't like what was to come. Anyway, he resolved to only listen as Ruby opened her mouth again, startled by her father's words.

"Anyway, we soon found our friends who were looking for us. All they wanted was for us to return to the Valley even if Petrie's mom had told us to go away. I tried to tell them that wasn't possible but… Littlefoot was a better speaker than I'll ever be. He was certain the others could speak us back in after we'd helped the Valley so many times during our stay. And… the best thing of all was that he was almost right." A longing smile crept to Ruby's face as the feeling of their journey back into the Valley resurfaced in her mind. If only she could return to the past and do it all again… A single tear formed in the corner of her eyes as she thought about another evening breeze at her Thinking Place after a long, happy day playing and adventuring with her friends. The hope of returning to her lost paradise seemed again so very real and seeing that hope collapse again in her mind's eye hurt once again terribly. Those flowing memories seemed to stretch on for hours even if Ruby knew herself they were only a few fleeting seconds in real life. As she prepared for the next part of her story, she looked at the white sky, thinking about all the sacrifices of her friends and their parents, crying inside about the futility of it all.

"We made it into the Valley that same evening and against all expectations, Petrie's mommy decided to help us against the rest of the Valley! It's hard to believe it even now but each and every one of my friends, even Cera, made their folks believe us even after what we'd done. That meeting was long and difficult for all of us but in the end, most of the Valley's residents voted in favor of us staying and forgiving us from my mistake. For a few seconds, I hoped all was well, that no one would have to suffer anymore because of me. But that wasn't to be." Ruby said as the image of the charging clubtail once again appearing in her eyes. That terrible moment would never leave her mind as long as she lived but not because of the threat to herself… rather because of what it did to Chomper.

"The clubtail couldn't stand the sight of me getting released from that situation. She… she started to charge, more than happy to face the charge of murder in the Valley if it meant the end of her child's killer: me. I was frozen in place and she would have got me… if it weren't for Chomper. He… he jumped forward and bit the mourning mother's whole throat open." Ruby turned to look at a distant mountain, her shame preventing her from facing neither her parents nor her friends. That whole moment had been one never-ending cycle of tragedy but she had long since accepted her gratitude to the blue sharptooth, no matter how distasteful his action had been. Her moment of reflection was soon interrupted, however, by a voice which quickly stole all her attention.

"You froze in place? Do you know how different things could have been if you had escaped her yourself?" Pearl asked carefully but she did not bother to hide her disappointment at Ruby. She had spent so much time trying to make Ruby always think about survival before all else and she had apparently casted those teachings away far too readily. Ruby looked at her mother, her head almost drooping to the ground as she answered.

"Yes, mommy. More times than I remember but…" She began but her answer was quickly cut short by her father's far more angered voice. Detras took a few steps forward and to Ruby's horror and disappointment, there seemed to be very little compassion in his eyes.

"For goodness' sake, Ruby, you are a fast runner, not some dumb spiketail who's ready to offer an easy meal to any sharptooth by not knowing how to act! This would have been a valuable if long overdue lesson to you if it hadn't already cost us the Valley's trust forever!" He cried, making the thinclaws move a bit further from the fast runners. Both of them were astonished by Ruby's past but it was clear things would escalate further in this conversation which was something they both knew there was little they could add to it. Ruby looked at her father with a pleading look and she spread her arms in growing fear as she answered.

"I know but I was already preparing to celebrate our victory with my friends! I never could have thought she'd attack me because if I had, then I would have been ready for her attack! It's all my fault but that short moment made me forget all you've taught me. I was just so happy I could stay with my friends a bit longer. I'm so sorry daddy." She said while crossing her arms and shifting her weight from one leg to another awkwardly. What else was there to say? All the apologies and regret would do nothing to regain the Valley's lost trust nor would it revive the dream of a united front against Red Claw but those words were all the poor fast runner had left anymore. Whether her parents would accept them was something that was out of her realm of decision, however. For a slight moment, Detras felt a flicker of true compassion for his daughter's situation back then but her one mistake had already cost him and his family so much for him to completely accept her position. The older omnivore looked down at his daughter as he spoke, willing to hear her tale to the end before making any final, potentially premature decisions.

"As am I, Ruby. I do not blame you for savoring that moment and I cannot judge you because it wasn't me who had to face the wrath of the Valley alone. But I'm saddened that Chomper's true nature revealed itself that way. We always knew you couldn't stay in the Valley forever and that was why I had hoped you wouldn't get too close to Chomper's old friends. They are leafeaters, Ruby, and even if your future in the Valley wouldn't have necessarily been as short as it was to Chomper, you wouldn't have been able to spend the rest of your life there. Do you understand what I mean?" He asked, forgetting his brewing anger momentarily. Ruby certainly wouldn't escape her mistakes without any consequences but this was a lesson to Orchid and Arial as well.

It took a few seconds for Ruby to register what her father meant and when she finally understood her point, her expression turned, for the first time, to that of clear chagrin. Even after all this, his father suggested she had been wrong to get to know her beloved friends as well as she had? The girl knew what his point was but this certainly wasn't the right time to raise it up. Yes, fast runners very rarely had any meaningful contacts with the leaf eaters and it was true she would have to had bid Chomper and the others the final farewell soon enough, she would never regret getting friends with them. She raised her voice and this time, she seemed to almost confront her father.

"I do, daddy, but that has nothing to do with that meeting! Each and every one of my friends was just as good a dinosaur as any of the fast runners I've ever met and even if we would have had to live apart in the future, I know we would have always savored our times together, our times together we would have savored! It was only after that meeting after the others' true love for me and Chomper showed itself. Their parents… they saved us from the others when we escaped from the Valley and Littlefoot and the others offered me to get Chomper home after that. We did our best to find his parents but it was then that… it happened." At this point, Ruby's momentarily regained confidence faltered completely. The memory of the sand cloud and the mysterious fast biters and the whole following chaos was far too much for her to bear at this already horrifying moment. She collapsed to her knees and panted for a few moments. She tried to gather her courage to speak of that final event but a first, she thought she wouldn't be able to do it. It was only when she felt two hands closing around her arms that she woke up from her despair.

"It's alright, Ruby. Please get up." She heard a silent voice call to her and she turned to see Arial on her left side, her expression a mask of concern and apology. This small show of concern warmed the older omnivore greatly but Orchid's words did even more to raise her from the shadow of her life's darkest day.

"It's all over now. That's all that's important." Even if neither of the two weren't too familiar at how things went in the Valley, they hated to see their older sister like this. Due to their young age, neither of them could begin to understand the depth of Ruby's pain but their innocent and genuine concern gave Ruby enough courage to regain her hold of herself. Slowly, she regained her footing and looked at her siblings, her expression radiating with thankfulness.

"Thanks, you two. It's only just that… the next part will be the worst of it all. You'll understand when you'll hear it." More so than with the earlier sequences of her tale, Ruby seemed to completely withdraw into her mental shell, the words coming like a steady river of thoughts straight from her mind. Even if she hadn't realized it herself, this was one moment that had swirled in her mind over and over again. However, she had attempted to pull it away from her conscious thoughts but none of that helped voice that terrible day to someone who had never been there themselves. The young fast runner began to speak slowly and in comparison to the rest of her tale, the descriptions were far more vivid even if Ruby didn't realize it herself.

Pearl looked at her daughter's heartfelt tale with a clear look of compassion. She could see that every word took a heavy toll on Ruby and the images of the raging sky and utter despair crept their way into the older female's thoughts as well. She could easily tell how that tragic event had looked like but even then, no words were enough to tell the feeling of the massacre. Each and every one of the omnivores listened silently to Ruby's tale, her parents with an unreadable expression due to their attempts to come up with an opinion of their daughter's actions. Orchid and Arial took a few steps away from their sister, clearly fearful of her story while Yarel looked at Ruby, not realizing how similar their pasts actually were. Her words returned his mind into his own day of terror, when he was nearly crushed to death by the spiketails. As she neared the end, Ruby's mental shell slowly started to break apart and her gaze started to wander around the wide plains filled with the cover of the white ground sparkles. Her voice turned nearly into a whisper as she finished her tale on a note that mirrored the mood of those terrible days completely.

"…and that was the last time I ever saw him. There was nothing I could do to stop him from helping Cera. Later, his mommy and daddy told me they had found him lying nearby later." Ruby said, tears dropping to the ground from her cheeks. She had many times thought whether she could have said Chomper but she knew those were only guilty thoughts. She had done all she could… which had achieved nothing but death and sorrow to everyone around her. Now everyone knew what she knew: all remained was to see whether they'd accept her actions or not. She took a deep breath as she heard her father's voice answer her tale.

"Nothing you could do? Ruby, did we not tell you how important it was to keep him safe? He was your charge, your duty to us, your family! He was all that kept our alliance with Dein and Terri and the Valley together! And you left him to die!?" Detras said as he grabbed a stone near himself and threw it away with a terrible force. He had trusted Ruby with this most important of tasks and she had failed miserably and possibly doomed them all! Now the reason for the predators' actions was completely understandable and no parent, especially a sharptooth, would ever forget such a loss. Pearl looked at her mate and rebuked to him quickly.

"Calm down, dear! She needs your help, not anger!" Pearl said angrily before turning her gaze at Ruby. Her expression softened little as she realized her mate's points were more than valid. She would have liked to simply bow down and nuzzle Ruby as she often had when she was little but she simply couldn't let this terrible news be rewarded.

"Ruby, we told you to never let him out of your sight! Even in the case of a sharptooth attack, we always told you to do your before saving yourself! Simply running away in a threatening situation shouldn't have been an option to you." She said while putting her hands to her hips, attempting to balance her response between that of a gentle lesson and a stern punishment. She looked at Ruby's watery eyes and waited her answer when another voice cut into the conversation.

"Not to even talk about you should have done your all just to stay in the Valley, safe from danger! We decided against punishing you for searching us out the Hanging Rock but do you remember what we told you back then? To stay away from each and any deeds that could put you and Chomper in danger! I see you didn't listen to a word of it." The last sentence hurt Ruby deeply as she thought about the note her family had last gone their own ways. Of course she should have listened to that warning but… her friends' influence was always enough to forget the caution she had been taught her whole life. Had she truly strayed that badly from the fast runner her parents had wanted her to be? Shaking her head, Ruby couldn't even say anymore. The only thing she knew was that she wouldn't trade any of her adventures with her friends away.

"I did, daddy, but it just… happened. I never meant it to go like…" She began but almost immediately she was interrupted by another outburst from Detras. The male hated himself for attacking his daughter like this but he simply couldn't accept her pitiful explanations. She had known exactly what she was supposed to do but apparently she had been far from ready to be trusted with an important task like this.

"But you did, didn't you, Ruby? You knew how much the leafeaters fear and even hate us, you know the extent of Red Claws's threat and still you acted like all was well and safe in the world? But I guess it was our fault for thinking you could be trusted…" He said while shaking his head. It was at this point that Pearl decided he was going too far and answer to him immediately.

"That's enough, Detras! You're helping nobody with your words!" She said, earning a quick rebuke from the other fast runner. Detras immediately turned to look at his mate and answered in an equally annoyed voice.

"Neither would any easier words which would make it seem like she did the right thing! Don't you realize it, my love? Red Claw will overrun ever larger areas of the Mysterious Beyond and without Dein and Terri's help, we can only try to hide and run from our end but in the end, either Red Claw or Chomper's parents will find us!" He cried, only then realizing how badly he was scaring Orchid and Arial. Yet, it was exactly for their sake that he was speaking as he was growing ever more fearful about whether they'd ever reach adulthood. How could the omnivores hope to fight off the sharpteeth the next time they'd meet? The male's mind was a complete flux of fear and regret which wasn't at least eased by his mate's answer.

"We will hold them at bay like our wisdoms have told us! We can run from them if we need to but right now, I'm not going to listen to you speaking to our daughter like this! Stop it or leave us be!" She said, for the first time seeming to calm down slightly. It was true that he and her mate had been in similar situations before but back then, he didn't have young ones to tend to. However, he soon realized that he was not helping anyone in this dark hour, he calmed down slightly before giving his answer to Ruby and Pearl.

"We'll talk about this later, Pearl, alone. I'll meet you at the Rise later." He said before he suddenly turned around and headed away from the gathered group. Ruby looked at her father with a sorrowful look and one last time, tried to cry after him.

"Don't go, daddy! I…" Ruby cried before being interrupted by her mother. She didn't know whether Detras had even heard her but her mother's expression commanded her to be silent immediately.

"Let him go, Ruby. Things are tough enough already and things are already hard enough for us here. I can't blame your father for saying what he did, though." Pearl crossed her arms and looked at Ruby with a look that bothered the younger female heavily. She had always known her tale would hardly sit well with her parents but deep down, she had hoped they could forgive her for her mistakes. Ruby spread her arms in growing desperation as she answered to her mother.

"I… I always did what I thought was right… even if the things I did were not the things that you told me to do. For many Cold Times everything went as I had hoped so I thought that… that I was doing what I had to do." She said, slowly realizing how badly she had actually forgotten her task. At this point, she expected another outburst from her mother, another remainder of her own stupidity… but what greeted her ears was a softer tone that nonetheless brokered no disagreements.

"I know, dear. But thinking forward is the most important wisdom our kind has. We have to look far into the future and try to find the path forward which seems to be the one with the least risks. The world harbors many traps for a lonely fast runner and we have to always prepare for whatever is coming our way as best as we can. If you had thought about what would have happened to you and us if Chomper had died on your adventures together, or what would happen if you were suspected to be the one responsible for the loss of the clubtail's egg, things would be far better, would they not? I'm sorry you didn't learn this lesson before it was all too late for all of us." Pearl finished cryptically, slowly turning Ruby's face to look at her with her hand. The older omnivore's voice wasn't that of anger but that of a resignation which worried Ruby just as badly. Her mother's face seemed to be devoid of any emotion but deep down, it was clear she was just as fearful as her mate. Ruby gulped, eager to simply sink into the ground but despite that, she tried to answer to her best ability.

"Yes, mommy. So am I but… it's too late now. There's so much I'd do differently if I got a second chance but… there's nothing I can do about it anymore. But… I think we may have another ally against Chomper's parents and Red Claw." She said, feeling this was the right time to bring her meeting with Stealth up. It wasn't much but at least it would widen her family's potions of survival at least a little. Pearl frowned slightly but decided not to show her interest just yet.

"And who's that? Not many dinosaurs are able to stand against Dein and Terri, as you very well know." She said, crossing her arms in expectation. For the first time since the beginning of the conversation, Ruby felt like she could attempt to salvage at least some of the trust she had lost.

"It wasn't soon after the fast biter attack that I met a lonely sailbacked sharptooth who nearly got me before I even saw him! I helped him on a hunt and in return, offered us his help against all who would threaten our family. He could certainly be of great help when Chomper's mom and dad return!" Ruby spoke in a voice which cheer surprised even the girl herself. Pearl crossed her arms, not exactly amused by the mention of a sailback. Of all the sharpteeth, they were often the sneakiest and most violent ones and very rarely interacted with other kinds. However, at least Ruby had survived that encounter so she didn't see any major harm if she let her daughter continue her tale.

"And what was his name?" She asked simply, knowing she would most likely recognize this mysterious predator's name from the many tales she had heard in her life. Ruby hesitated for a short while after seeing her mother's apparent skepticism about her words.

"His… his name was Stealth. He told me to contact him again when I knew of an approaching danger." Ruby said, worried about what she'd learn about the sharptooth from her mother. Pearl scratched her forehead slightly, knowing that name was familiar from somewhere. But where had she heard of that dinosaur… oh yes! Immediately, Pearl glanced at her daughter again and answered immediately after she had recalled where she had heard that name.

"Stealth? I haven't heard of him in many Cold Times and even then from only Dein and Terri. They mentioned him to be an arrogant brat who had managed to slip away from them after his parents tried and failed to attack their territory for some desperate reason. That happened many Cold Times ago so I'm surprised he survived this long." Pearl said, not exactly willing to put too much faith on a lonely, young sharptooth as the protector of her family. However, Ruby wasn't about to let the issue be skipped this readily. Stealth's promise was the only good piece of news she had for her family and she wanted them to at least seriously consider this option.

"He seemed to hate Chomper's mom and dad for some reason but he never mentioned to me why. He was far younger than they, it is true, but for some reason I think we can trust him in this!" Ruby said, attempting to get to her mother at least some degree. However, a new voice joined the conversation at this point.

"All of us know we can never trust a sharptooth! All they want is to use us for their own ends and after that, to have us for an easy meal!" Yarel stepped forward, looking rather worried by his friend's words. It was one of the things he had found to be true during his life: a thinclaw could trust only him- or herself and others like them. Pearl glanced at the boy briefly before sighing slightly.

"There's more to it than that, Yarel, was it? While it's true that few sharpteeth see us as friends, we could make lasting alliances with them if we can trust in each other's true goals enough. Like we once did with Dein and Terri. We just have to weigh carefully whether it's worth it to take that leap forward." Pearl looked at Ruby briefly as she spoke, making the younger female look ever more pitiful. Yarel, snorted at Pearl's answer, not at all confident about her wo0rds but decided against trying to claim he knew more than Ruby's mother.

Yarel's joining of the conversation, reminded Ruby of another thing that she had nearly forgotten in the midst of the desperate argument. However, the boy seemed increasingly keen to get his own issue forward and Ruby knew he and especially Greentail deserved that much. Carefully, she turned her gaze upwards and spoke to Pearl.

"Mommy… I hope you'll speak to daddy about Stealth but there's another thing I have to ask you, ask you I have to. Last time we met Chomper's parents, Greentail, Yarel's sister, had a terrible hit to her head, as you can see." Ruby took a brief pause and in clear relief, Greentail took a few steps forward. She could vaguely see Pearl turning to look at her but whatever expression she had was a complete mystery to the maimed thinclaw. She continued briefly from where Ruby had continued, this time talking as she normally would, not willing to hide anything from the only dinosaur who could help or at least say something about her future.

"It… it's true, Pearl. We would all be very grateful if you could use your knowledge to tell me if I have any chance to return to… what I once were." She said silently, her own voice bringing her intense shame. Pearl frowned at first as she tried to understand Greentail's words. They were extremely unclear and her limping and empty gaze in her eyes told her immediately that the news she'd have to share would hardly be something the younger omnivores would want to hear. With forced steps, she approached Greentail while answering her request.

"I can certainly take a look but I warn all of you immediately that there's nothing I can do to help days after the hit. All I can try to do is to look if you'll ever have a chance to recover from this." She said, not revealing her first impressions about Greentail. Yarel moved to his sister's side as a sign of support, and spoke in her stead. Every last muscle of his face was completely tense which only told about the depth of his worry for his sister.

"Please, do what you can, Ms. Fas… Pearl. We understand you might tell us something… bad." He gulped, earning a fearful look from Greentail. Pearl moved further towards the girl and spoke to her as softly as she could in this situation.

"Very well. Stay still while I look at your wound and answer to my every answer as honestly as you can. Do you understand?" She asked, earning a quick nod from Greentail. Pearl stopped just before her and after a brief exchanged nod from the green thinclaw, she slowly moved to look at her head. It took minimal effort for her to find the spot where the stone had penetrated her skull and the sight of that spot made even the older female cringe big time. Even now, the wound seemed to suppurate with some thick goo and it had barely even started the process of actual healing. It seemed to spread all the way from her forehead to the back of her head even if it was clear that the worst hit had come to the front of her head. The hit had torn many feathers around it away, leaving a bald, bloody trail in its wake. With an already bothered voice, Pearl asked the girl.

"How long did it take for you to wake up after you received this, Greentail?" She asked, fearing about what she'd hear. Greentail seemed thoughtful for a second, her mind still struggling to recall details even from the tales Yarel and Ruby had told her. After a moment, she asked with a clearly haunted look.

"Well, all of that happened at a night four days ago… and I woke up just as it was getting dark again. Or so Ruby and Yarel told me." She said, looking at Yarel as if to confirm she remembered right. Pearl gulped as she heard those words. She had been unconscious for nearly a day? That was a terribly long time after a head injury and not many woke up after it anyway. She followed her first question with another, willing to find out about Greentail's mental abilities.

"What do you remember from your earlier life? How much of it did you forget?" Pearl asked the most basic questions but none of the answers she received raised any hopes in her. Forgetting a Cold Time prior to the accident and her many handicaps worried her greatly but Yarel and Greentail's pleading looks made her try her very best at finding some signs of eventual recovery. After a long while of questioning, Pearl sat down on a rock, as if she were fatigued by merely asking those questions. Ruby quickly ran towards her and asked the older fast runner in clear worry.

"Is everything alright, mommy or is something wrong?" She asked, earning a quick relieving glance from Pearl even if it was clear her announcement wouldn't be what they had hoped for.

"I'm fine, Ruby, but… I don't think you are." She said, looking at Greentail, clearly apologizing to the young girl. The latter frowned in fear but gathered herself quickly and asked, her tone carrying a clear sense of dread.

"I know it but… please tell me everything you know. Please." She asked, her expression turning into a more confident one as she spoke. Over and over again, she had lived her death in her own mind and even if it would be hard to hear those thoughts become a reality would be far more difficult, she was already past the times when she hoped for a toned down, untruthful version of what would happen. Pearl looked at her for a few seconds and then sighed, preparing to give her verdict.

"Greentail… the mere size of your wound made me think about the worst as I've seen other dinosaurs fall with far less injuries. You are extremely lucky to even be with us anymore. However, I cannot say the same about what comes next. If you speak the truth, you have managed to regain your ability to speak and move quickly but after that, your pace of healing has dropped really fast. You still have some hope of being able to run properly one day but that day is far in the future, if it is ever going to come." Pearl took a brief pause, hating what she had to say. Greentail looked already more than beaten but the older female knew the three other omnivores wanted the truth and nothing less. After her pause, she began to speak again.

"My own parents told me that hits to the head are some of the most horrifying injuries one can get and there's nothing most dinosaurs can do to help with them. Greentail, I'm sorry you had to go through all what you did as no one would deserve what happened to you. I'm truly sorry about all this. Your ability to recover some of your lost abilities is a cause of some hope but… it would be better if you accepted that you'll never be the same dinosaur you once were. Unless there happens a true miracle, you will always limp badly and your eyes are not going to recover completely. Your memories might return slowly and your mind's eye to your surroundings might regain some of its sharpness but that's all you can really hope for. I'm sorry but there's nothing more I can do." Pearl said with an apologizing voice. It was clear that even after all the mental drama of the day, the older female still meant every word of compassion to Greentail.

The thinclaw, however, felt a sudden void fill her mind. This was the piece of advice she had come so far to hear? Even if her partial blindness and other handicaps had already become a part of the dinosaur she was now, sudden, deeper understanding suddenly made itself known to her. So this truly was it. She'd never be able to be of use to anyone again and even with her brother's help, it was unlikely she'd ever survive to adulthood. With forced movements, she turned to again look at Pearl and with a tortured voice, answered to the dinosaur who so long had been her only, elusive hope who had in the end been able to do nothing for her.

"Is there nothing I can do? Can I do anything that would help me regain at least something of what I lost?" She asked, her voice completely mirroring her mental state. Pearl looked at her with clear regret but she merely shook her head.

"There isn't. The damage is in your head and not even the most legendary of dinosaurs have ever been able to answer the secrets of how to mend injuries in there. Time is the only thing that can help you, I'm afraid." She said morbidly, a complete silence falling upon the small group of omnivores. Despite the lingering divide between Ruby and her family, for a moment the white sky seemed to entwine every one of the dinosaurs into its relieving embrace. A freezing breeze slowly crept through the plains, the coldness quickly penetrating the fast runners' and thinclaws' plumage almost immediately.

Yarel shuddered as the breath of wind surrounded him but he gave it no heed. His worst fears about his sister had been confirmed which was more than enough for him to forget everything else around himself. Greentail seemed slightly less broken than he had expected but Yarel couldn't help a few tears of sorrow from falling down his cheeks. It had been he who had persuaded the duo to join Ruby's quest, it was his fault that all of this had happened! And worst of all, Greentail seemed to remember nothing of that conversation which forced him to carry that guilt alone. On that somber moment, he would have wanted nothing more than to change parts with his poor sister, to for the first time in his life to carry the consequences of his own mistakes. But even then, he knew none of those thoughts would help any. He looked at a distant gust of ground sparkles in the distance as he answered.

"Thank you for your help anyway, Pearl. This was all we could ask of you." He said, not finding any further words to say at this horrible moment. Pearl took a brief, joyless smile as she answered to the boy.

"Of course as you helped Ruby to return to us. Even if it was in circumstances we would have wanted to avoid." She looked again at Ruby before turning around. She then glanced at her children and the thinclaws and continued to speak.

"Ruby, it will take a lot of work for all of us to clean up the mess you created for us. To begin with, there is one thing we'll need your help with soon enough but we all will have to rest before that. As for you, Yarel and Greentail, you are welcome to come with us for a short while as thanks for your help. Let's go home." She said before turning to look into the calm wastes, preparing for the remaining trek to the fast runners' new refuge.

Ruby looked at her siblings swallow the last pieces of meat from the threehorn's skeletal remains, taking a careful sigh of relief. While it was clear her mother and especially not her father were going to see her the same way again for a long time, at least they hadn't turned her away into the fledgling Cold Time. Yet, deep down, bitterness flowed in her mind of her parents' reaction to her deeds as especially Detras had seemed to dismiss her friends' fate completely. Even then, her mother's words about the upcoming task were intriguing ones and maybe, just maybe, it'd offer her the first step on her way to redemption in her family's eyes. With a swift gesture, she waved her friends to follow her into the slowly darkening afternoon of the Mysterious Beyond.

* * *

 **After many weeks of fear and regret, Ruby has finally managed to get the word of her deeds to her family. However, even if this terrible part of her life is coming to a close, her parents don't seem to be taking their daughter's actions well and it's likely that more drama is on the way between the halfteeth… I'm sorry for the slight delay in publishing this chapter but most of it was due to a trip. Even then, I hope you liked this installment and as always, see you next time!**

 **The Rhombus: It's indeed correct that Petrie and Pterano will have a lot of things to consider when moving forward but the real question is whether they'll get a chance to make their own decisions. Events are moving forward at an alarming rate with the flyers and many of them are outside from our heroes' realm of influence. I'm sorry to hear that the structure of the chapter was unclear but I understand what you mean. I hope to do better in that regard in the future but thanks for pointing it out again.**


	27. The Decisive Strike in the Night

**The Decisive Strike in the Night**

The cold wind rang in his ears as Lenel slowly prepared to land on a small clearing near his own herd away from the other flyers. The late evening's freeze was starting to settle over the dry, unhospitable land but none of it mattered anything to the flyer or his mate. Lenel's face was completely unmoving all the flight but behind that stoic mask swirled dozens of conflicting thoughts and fears. One way or another, this night would change everything in his and many others' lives but in which ways, he couldn't say just yet.

As he glanced at his mate, Lenel saw that her mind was in a similar swirl. However, it was clear that neither of the two were resigned to their fate in any way even if both of them knew their options were few. The small clearing under the two flyers overlooked the wider plain in which the weary flyers were trying to overcome the shock of the battle and mourning their lost loved ones. Lenel gritted his teeth as he landed, preparing to address his mate but just before he had the time to open his beak, the embattled leader suddenly heard another voice from above him.

"Lenel! Sireia! It's good to see you back here! Did the others admit that most of our losses were because of their mistakes?" The speaker was Taria who suddenly landed near the two, clearly more than eager to hear the news. However, what she heard was far from what she had wanted to hear after the tense day. Sireia quickly glanced at her and spoke in clear annoyance, not approving of this interruption in the least.

"Leave us in peace, Taria! We have a lot to discuss still and we don't need anyone here listening to us! Now, go!" She said in a low voice, prompting a somewhat worried and even upset glance from the other female. She knew better than to question Sireia's words but she couldn't leave just yet. With a more careful tone, she spoke back to Sireia.

"Very well but I need something to tell the others. Many are dying to hear at least something about what happened during the battle. What should I tell them?" The deputy asked, still taken aback by the antics of many of the flyers who had searched her out for answers during the past hours. She expected another attack from Sireia but instead, she received an emotionless answer from Lenel who walked closer to his deputy.

"Tell them that we still have some issues to decide. Our future is hanging in the balance and the others have to wait a bit longer." He said, not willing to let anything slip to the female. He trusted Taria but not enough to let her know about the results of the meeting just yet. The deputy looked at Lenel in slight disappointment before speaking to him finally.

"It shall be done, Lenel. Just don't take too long: many in the herd want answers soon enough." And with those words, the flyer took off and left Lenel and his mate alone in the bald hill from which could be seen all of the four parts of the herd. The pale flyer crossed his arms and inhaled the breezing air as he looked about the countless stars slowly appearing into the sky. The evening was not unlike the previous ones but the seasoned leader sensed that deep unease hang above the flyers. After a while, he finally spoke to his mate.

"We never should have allowed Peak into our herd. I should have guessed that he'd threaten us with something like this soon enough but even I didn't think he'd betray us like this!" He cried as his eyes slowly turned from the stars to his mate whose stern gaze surprised Lenel to a degree. The green-eyed flyer let out a brief snort as she spoke to the male.

"We took him in because we hoped he could be reasoned with but that was all just a lie. But in the end, his treachery hurt him more than it will us." She said, fuming from the display of pride and cowardice the orange-colored flyer had shown. Lenel looked at him with a slight frown, wondering what his mate had meant. Yes, Peak's followers could very well suffer from the break-up of the herd but he knew there were other possibilities about what Sireia had implicated. He slowly raised his hand to his forehead and scratched it a few times as he spoke.

"But the thing that really sickens me is that that scum managed to get Nira join him too. But if those too think they can simply destroy our herd and get away with it, they're badly mistaken. We've come far too far to simply be deceived now." He said, still trying to sort his thoughts even now. He knew what his words implied but his emotions drowned them under their swirling maelstrom of disappointment and hate. He hated to even think of murdering his old allies but in the seasons long gone, he had done many deeds which even now sickened even Lenel himself. Attacking the two turncoats would hardly be worse than slaughtering a rival herd or killing the children of his rivals. Lenel had hated himself even back then but leading a herd in the Mysterious Beyond demanded the willingness to do what was necessary, when it was necessary. Sireia took a brief look towards Nira's herd before answering to his mate, her voice shaking from anger towards the two other leaders. She glanced at her mate while a certain kind of fear and concern started to swell in her heart as well.

"We have, Lenel. We have. But even then, our options aren't what we ever hoped for. Not even after Nimble's loss." Sireia spoke as she started to think about what had to be done. Slowly, Lenel turned to her and the gaze in his eyes stunned even the female for a short while.

"Are you ready for this, dear? If we decide to do this, it'll be a step from which there is no return. I hate to even think about it but I've made my choice. My family has never hesitated in the face of disaster and I won't be the first. Will you stand by my side?" He asked, genuinely willing to hear Sireia's opinion. All their lives, the two had shared respected each other without an end and no matter what they did, they made sure neither of them were ever forced to do it. However, despite her fears, this wasn't one issue where she wouldn't hesitate. Almost immediately, she answered to the male.

"My love, you know that I've worked with you to unite our herds ever since we met and I'll see it to the end. However… do we have what it takes to… to take out Nira and Peak and get away with it?" There it was. She had offered to kill one of those she had sworn to lead the united herd with. It was a terrifying thought for the tan-colored flyer but as a leader's mate, she had seen many terrifying things in her life and if this is what her and Lenel's common dream would require, she would damn right do it! The latter looked surprised by his mate's decisive tone and immediately turned back to investigate at the spots where Nira and Peak's herds lied. A certain kind of sorrow could be seen on his face but it was dominated by decisiveness which left nothing left for guessing. He had done his best to forge a common future for the herds but now, Peak and Nira tried to block the path he had followed all his life and he would allow no one to hold him back now. Lenel knew he would regret this decision more than once but he had to make a decision and now, there was only one right one. After a while, he started to speak slowly.

"Thank you for staying by my side, Sireia. You're right that this will be far from easy but Peak said they're only leaving tomorrow so we have until the rising of the Bright Circle to do this. We have to act quickly before the others learn the truth. It'll be bloody but if we silence them quickly enough, we'll be able to blame them for tonight's attack and we have a chance to claim their herds after that." He said, already dreading at the chance that this plan could fail at a crucial moment. If the two could regain their ranks quickly, it would be he and his mate that would be wiped out. After a while, Sireia asked silently.

"It shall be done but… don't we have a choice? We could try to make at least one of them see reason or we could simply accuse them now for treachery." She asked, willing to look at all the possibilities before acting. Lenel turned to her slowly as he answered to her question.

"And what if either of them simply lies and attacks us as soon as our attention is drawn elsewhere? And we cannot simply go and make accusations, dear. We have no proof to back up our words but if they are gone… then nobody can present us with a real challenge. We must remember Peak and Nira's herds are still loyal to their leaders. This is the only way we stand even a slight chance." He said, his mind slowly starting to move to planning the coming night's actions. Sireia nodded at him, knowing this wasn't the time for compromises or half-hearted efforts. She then cast a brief smile to her mate before finally moving to his side and then speaking to him in a more courage voice than before.

"I understand, Lenel. But when we finally make our move, I'd say we wait until the night has truly settled in. And we should start with Nira." She said, slowly shedding the pretense that she or her mate had a choice in this matter. In the Mysterious Beyond, only the strong thrived and Peak and Nira were only driving all of the herds to ruin. Lenel's eyes widened slightly as his mate spoke, not immediately realizing what she was getting at.

"And why is that? After all, Peak was the one who started it so I thought we'd start with him." He asked, willing to hear what Sireia had to say. In more times than once, her mate had had great ideas on how to move on and she fully had his ear in nearly any issue. Sireia frowned slightly but as she answered, her voice was a highly thoughtful one.

"Perhaps but there are other things to consider as well. Peak fears even his own shadow right now and I'm sure he has ordered half of his herd to guard him and his family. Nira, on the other hand, didn't seem to realize the full impact of what had happened and with any luck, that could give us an opening against her. Even then, that doesn't mean our task will be an easy one." She said, the implications of her words clear. even Nira could expect something and in that case, this night would be even more dangerous than the two flyers had expected. Lenel took a brief pause before he answered.

"You're right, of course. We have to plan every move before we get on the move but at least I have you by my side, Sireia. It's all I could hope. For the beginning, I say we move on Nira's herd like this…"

* * *

Petrie panted in utter fear and exhaustion as he finally landed between two high rocks in the middle a completely flat wasteland. He could feel his limbs being completely stiff with fear as he crouched even lower between the rocks in order to escape the sight of the two flyers who had headed after him after his failed peeking at the meeting of the three remaining leaders. He gritted his teeth as small crawlers began to climb upon his wings and legs but the prospect of being caught like this weighed more upon him right now. Even now, he didn't know how badly he had failed because of his curiosity.

Had the guards already recognized him? Was hiding all for nothing in this situation? Had he doomed his and his uncle's efforts to live among the herd? The moments after he had been spotted were a complete mess and he didn't have the least of ideas who had seen what back then. For all he knew, he could already be seen as a treacherous spy which could mean…

The flyer shook his head as he fought even against his own breathing. The rocks were large enough to hide him but any movements or voices could alert the flyers to his location. The piles of ground sparkles did little to help his cause but as the moments dragged on and on, he realized he was still alone. No accusing cries or flapping of wings were to be heard anywhere nearby and even the small slice of the dark sky was completely empty expect for small remnants of sky puffies and the distant, glimmering stars. He… he was safe for now.

With slow, careful movements, the boy rose to a sitting position and moved to look outside from his small refuge while wiping the crawlers away from him. It took a brief moment for him to see his chasers and he couldn't believe what he saw. They were already heading back to the meeting place, after only a few minutes of searching. Petrie frowned slightly as he thought about what that'd mean. However, if that was the case, there was little reason for him to stay here. With careful flapping of his wings, the young flyer headed towards the skies, still making sure to avoid any sudden ambushes that could still be in store but slowly, his mind turned back to more personal matters.

Had uncle Pterano returned from his duty and if he had, how would he react to his absence? After all he had gone through, the boy wanted nothing less than to start arguing with his uncle at this point. Petrie's eyes scoured the white ground beneath him to search for the spot he and Pterano had landed when they first had landed in this land. The dozens of wounded or mourning flyers below him made Petrie increasingly sick as every hill and gorge was filled with dinosaurs who were fighting for their lives or had lost a loved one. Yet, that was part of his life now and unlike after seeing the old flyer killed in cold blood, there was no longer pure disgust nor disbelief for what he was seeing. This was something he had never wanted to happen but… it felt like part of his life at this point. And for Petrie, that thought didn't seem to bother him as much as he would have hoped. Slowly but surely, a certain clearing surrounded by dead bushes came to his view. At first, it was but a bleak image like in a memory but as it slowly became clearer, Petrie's heart fell completely.

 _So uncle Pterano be here after all. Now me in big trouble… but… who is that?_

Slowly, another form appeared from the black haze and at first, Petrie didn't have the slightest of ideas who that could be. At first, Petrie hesitated about moving closer to that sight but he realized Pterano was completely drawn into the discussion and he started his landing near the two, willing to hear what they were up to. And after a short while, his eyes slowly caught the sight of the one his uncle was talking to. It was Lenel's mate whom he had just seen in the meeting? But what was the female doing here? Except for… demanding Pterano to punish him for his spying.

Petrie's heart seemed to freeze momentarily but then happened something which surprised the boy without an end. The two quickly nodded to each other and just like that, they took the air and left the scene. Petrie looked after them in utter confusion as he tried to come up with some explanation. Both of them were even more worried than he had expected but it seemed like something worse than punishing one wayward child. Petrie was left sitting between the ground sparkles, deeply conflicted about how to proceed. He was an adventurous spirit but even then, he had already messed badly enough and uncle Pterano was more than capable of handling another meeting with Lenel and his mate. Petrie slowly walked into his nest for today, waiting for news from his only benefactor in this cold land.

* * *

"What is this all about, Lenel? Why did Sireia get me at this hour?" The light-brown flyer asked, narrowing his eyes slightly as he looked at his superior. Sireia had told him very little during their journey and he was more than nervous about what he'd hear here. He knew the meeting had been a total failure but other than that, he knew very little about what was going on. Taria was already here so whatever Lenel was planning to tell had to be of absolute importance as the pale flyer seldom called his deputies together in times like these. The other male crossed his arms and answered to his deputy almost immediately.

"Taria and Pterano, I called both of you here to announce something that neither of you would have wanted to hear. Even I and my mate struggled to accept the reality but the truth is, Nira and Peak have betrayed us. As you may have heard, they're planning to break up our herd and according to Peak's words, we have to expect today's attack was at least partly his doing." The two flyers twitched noticeably as they were told these news, not willing believe their own ears. Both of them had learned to accept both of the two as competent allies and trustworthy leaders. And now Lenel was claiming they had killed Nimble on purpose? It didn't take long until Pterano asked with an unbelieving voice.

"What? But… that's impossible! There's no reason why they'd ever do such a thing!" He asked, Taria nodding to his words slightly. Lenel and Sireia both frowned to the deputy's words but it didn't take long until Lenel answered again. His voice was heavy and clear regret could be seen within his eyes.

"Peak always seemed to have secrets we never knew about and in addition, none of his contributions to our meeting seemed to even suggest he ever trusted us. As for Nimble… maybe Peak only felt that getting rid of her would make Nira join her and perhaps even form a new alliance with her soon enough. No matter what, their plot is a disgusting twist to the fate of the herd I know both of you dreamt we were creating." He said, regretting the fact that he had to lie to his trusted deputies like this. It was already bad enough that he had to do this in the first place but he had to make sure neither of the two would decline participating in tonight's task. The two wouldn't likely see the herd's breakup as the same inescapable pit he and Sireia did so the tale had to be made even more dramatic for the duo. He had never lied to his deputies before and if the Bright Circle smiled upon him, they would understand his motives soon enough. He looked at Sireia briefly as she underlined her mate's point.

"What matters is that they have thrown away everything away we worked for together for selfish or wrong reasons. We're not sure what they're up to in the coming weeks but their actions will bring ruin to all of us. I… I wish there was another way but we have to take control of our herd, no matter what." The female announced, finally revealing her plans to the two. She wasn't sure how they'd react but she trusted them enough to ask them to help in this fateful fight. Pterano felt like a stone had fell on his head as he started to contemplate those words. Lenel was planning to get rid of his competitors and to take command of the entire herd?

At first, that thought didn't worry him that much as he thought about all his times serving the light-colored male and during all those seasons, Lenel had never let him or his herd down. He had always kept his word to his deputies and never had his followers went through unnecessary hardships under his leadership. Even then… there was no telling what would happen in the weeks to come. A sting of guilt formed within chest as he thought about the ways he had attempted to become a revered leader in the past. Lenel was not him but… after those days, he had never again believed that a single dinosaur should be responsible for the lives of dozens of others. If he had had someone to stand up to him during his own journey into the Great Valley, the most painful day in his life would never have happened. He started to speak silently, hoping he wouldn't upset Lenel and Sireia too badly with his words.

"With all due respect, I doubt that's the best…"

"I'll do it gladly. Peak and Nira never seemed to be fit to lead even their own herds so I'll help getting rid of them for the good of us all." Pterano was immediately interrupted by Taria whose voice left no guessing for her loyalties. There was not the slightest hint of hesitation or doubt in her voice which didn't really surprise the light brown flyer any. Taria had always been a loyal deputy and she clearly trusted Lenel and Sireia in all their efforts. The latter wasted no time voicing her relief about Taria's ready acceptance.

"Thank you, Taria. We need as many of our herd to help and it wouldn't be possible without your help. We are honored to have you beside us." She said while smiling at the other female widely. She had learned to respect the shorter flyer greatly and this only reinforced that impression. Lenel doubled down on her mate's words before turning his gaze at Pterano.

"So am I, Taria. We won't forget this. But how about you, Pterano? Are you willing to stand with us this night?" He asked, looking at Pterano in a way which nearly took the brown male off guard. His expression was far more decisive than it had been in a long time and after a moment, Sireia and Taria also turned to wait for his answer. The pressure only complicated his thoughts and all he managed to let out were a few forced stutters.

"Lenel, I…" He started before he finally regained control of his own thoughts. He wasn't a flyer who was easily intimidated but this moment was enough to catch him off guard. He still didn't believe Lenel's plan was the best one to move forward. He wasn't willing to kill his old companions in cold blood, damn it! He had been a part of too many tragedies before and what would Petrie say if he came back telling of his bloody deeds?

However, it was the memory of his nephew that changed his line of thinking completely. What would happen if he declined Lenel's offer? He didn't know whether the pale flyer would really hold it against him but at least his position as a deputy would be history in the best case. in the worst case, he and Petrie could be exiled from the herd if Lenel was successful and if he wasn't… well, the sight of a bloody fight within the previously friendly herds didn't sound like a good option either. In any case, return to the Valley wasn't yet an option and life in a small, hated herd wasn't something Petrie deserved after all he had gone through.

In the end, there were no real options. Failure to join Lenel would lead to worse tragedies for his nephew and to himself in the long run. He had stood by the other male's side for many Cold Times so he might as well walk this path until the end. He could hate himself later for once again failing to live in peace and without taking part in disgusting and deadly endeavors but he knew how explosive the situation was. If he did his part well enough tonight, his position in the herd would become a far more important, a thought which even now excited the flyer's mind. After a moment, he finally bowed slightly to Lenel and gave his answer.

"I am, Lenel. I'll do whatever is necessary to restore peace to our herd. You have my word of it." He said, finally releasing the clear tension within the small hill overlooking Lenel's herd. It had grown increasingly tense as the others had waited for Pterano's answer. Immediately, the pale flyer crossed his arms and an approving smile rose to his face. His voice was highly revering but still extremely grave as he spoke.

"Time and time again, you two prove I chose my deputies wisely. Both of you will continue to stand by my side in the seasons to come and know that I'll forget none of the great deeds we'll do together. I thank both of you from the bottom of my heart." Lenel said as he slowly walked near to the cliff to face the flyers who would soon be up for a surprise. Yes, this would be the night when the time for waiting and empty promises was over. If taking out his rivals was what it took to restore his family's old fame, then so be it. He then slowly turned out and spoke to Taria and Pterano who were looking at him expectantly. He was just about to speak to them when a shadow suddenly appeared over the small group. The pale flyer was clearly startled as he didn't want any of the other flyers witness this meeting. He was even further startled as his eyes finally saw who the newcomer was. He immediately waved his deputies to his side in case their new guest tried anything suspicious.

"What are you doing here, Haste? Shouldn't you be helping your sister explain her madness to all her followers?" He said as Nira's sister turned to look at him. He had seen her very rarely and even rarer still were the duo had talked with each other. He held absolutely no trust to the greenish flyer and he would have wanted nothing less than for her to disappear. However, as she spoke, Lenel's eyes widened quickly.

"Helping my sister? Nira would have needed help far before she would have agreed to join Peak's folly! In fact, I am here to apologize for Nira's mistakes on my entire family's behalf." She said while bowing to Lenel slightly. The male felt extremely awkward by this sudden appearance but even then, Haste did very little to help anyone's cause here. In an almost angered voice, he answered to the newcomer in a way which made her twitch slightly.

"I appreciate your gesture, Haste, but it has very little meaning as long as Nira's in charge of your herd! So, if you'll excuse me, we, too, have our own preparations to make if we're going to survive after you and Nira are gone!" Lenel spoke, hoping Haste to take the hint and simply leave at this minute. However, the female's mouth turned into a slight smile as she answered. Pterano felt shivers creep up his spine as the female spoke, completely stunned by what he was hearing.

"Without a doubt you do, Lenel. However, there is a chance that you don't have to prepare for that possibility. Because I'm more than willing to end Nira's endless row of terrible mistakes. If we allow her to have her way, our whole family will follow Nimble's lead!" She exclaimed, for the first time receiving Lenel's full attention. The pale flyer was increasingly haunted of learning about all the hatred and distrust within the herd but with any luck, his could work in his favor. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Sireia who suddenly walked towards the other female.

"And why would you even consider such a thing? If you are willing to betray your own flesh and blood, why do we have any reason to trust you, Haste? There is no bond that is more important than family and you know it!" She said, upset by the greenish dinosaur's antics as she knew how much blood ties meant for the great families. Even she, who had been born as part of a group of ordinary hatchlings, had always respected her siblings without an end and to see Haste practically offering to betray Nira didn't sit well with her. She knew it could benefit her and her mate's cause but if Haste held this little respect to others, she was far from a trustworthy ally. However, she was quickly answered by Haste who crossed her arms, her long crest casting its shadow across the small glade.

"Yet, our families are one thing we cannot choose but, thank the Bright Circle, we can choose our friends. For as long as I can remember, Nira has always done the thing that hurts us the most. Before we joined with you, she always conceded our territories instead of ever taking a stand! In the last Cold Times, she has all too often sided with the fool Peak instead of attempting to do something worthwhile! Today was simply the latest continuation to her madness and I'm willing to salvage what I can of our family's legacy! To do that, I'm willing to betray Nira, Sireia. I'll do it gladly." She said as she glanced at the tan-colored female who was slowly starting to back down from her earlier position. Lenel looked at her, his mind dwelling in many different issues at the same time. Haste's appearance was a highly suspicious one but he couldn't question the benefits of her help. Her cooperation would have to be ensured but there was little reason now to turn her away. He moved closer to the female and looked as a flash of light from the Night Circle ran across her face.

"In case I decided to accept your help, Haste, what do you offer me in return? And what do you hope to achieve with your betrayal? To take your sister's place and then tell me you're going to leave the same way she did?" Lenel narrowed his eyes as he spoke, willing to hear about his potential ally's plans. Haste quickly took a look at Sireia and the two deputies to see whether they were planning anything for her but soon turned back to Lenel.

"I know everything about my sister's precautions and I know the best way to attack her. And most of all, once I take her place, there will be no one in all our herds who could question our motives. I already hold the loyalties of many and Nira's star is already falling. In return, I'm ready to pledge myself to your service as a gesture of apology for all the mistakes my sister has done. Our family owes you that much, Lenel." Haste said respectfully, her eyes communicating nothing less than complete reverence and trust. Her words made Pterano and Taria gasp as they both knew few of the great families ever recognized other one's superiority. The female quickly walked to her mate's side and whispered to him silently.

"Send her away, now. She is completely insane and trusting her will be a grave mistake. Trust me in this, Lenel!" Sireia said in deep frown, finally getting enough of the newcomer. She had never trusted Haste but this meeting was even more suspicious than she had feared. This realization was not lost to Lenel, of course. Either Haste was absolutely desperate or she had some other, hidden motives but the latter part of her offer was something which appealed to the male in more ways than one. He bowed towards his mate as he answered, speaking in a soft and persuasive voice.

"Only a fool would trust someone who promises things like that, dear. But luckily we can get what she's offering without ever leaving things up for a chance. We need an ally, Sireia, and if she'll try anything suspicious, we'll act faster than she will! I don't like this any more than you do but this is a chance we'll have to take!" The pale flyer said before again turning to face Haste. Sireia looked at him in clear disapproval but she could see her mate had already made his choice. Lenel hated the idea of ignoring the female's concerns but there truly were no better options: after a successful attack, the last thing he wanted was to be overthrown because of his lack of powerful allies. His face returned to its former, inspiring expression as he gave his answer.

"I accept your proposition with one condition, Haste. We plan to keep our herd united and for that end, we need your help to deal with Peak, too. None of us will rest until our unity has been confirmed." Lenel said, dreading about how many things could go wrong with the orange flyer. Attacking him would be highly risky but he was a far more serious threat than Nira would ever be. Haste's eyes widened as he realized the full implications of Lenel's words but even then, not one gesture implied her to be disturbed by them. Instead, she answered calmly to Lenel's final terms.

"I agree. I didn't expect for this proposition, Lenel, but Peak is another flyer who ever should have lead even the tiniest of herds. You have my help." She said, making Sireia shake her head slightly. Lenel, however, nodded to her briefly before finally addressing his deputies again. Haste took a slight smile as she looked at Lenel, more than happy by her success.

"Pterano, Taria, start to gather small groups you know you can trust for today's mission. We will gather here again when the Night Circle casts its glow against those mountains in the north. Time is off the essence and use the time you are given wisely. I trust both of you know what to do." Lenel said, looking approvingly at the two flyers. Taria's face carried a clear look of expectation whereas Pterano opted for a more balanced and serious expression. He was the first one to answer.

"It shall be done, Lenel. We'll be ready when the time comes." He said simply to which Taria continued in a low voice.

"We'll stand with you until the end. Those fools won't have a chance." She said, following Pterano towards the darkened skies. The light-brown flyer knew his duties but he knew today's mission also brought a clear threat with it. And he would never forgive himself if Petrie wouldn't learn of his whereabouts on this tragic night.

* * *

The minutes passed on slowly as Petrie waited for his uncle's return. He knew Sireia wouldn't most likely call him for nothing but he had hoped to finally get a short chance to get a good night's sleep after today's horrible ordeals. He would have wanted to simply drift into the world of sleep stories and forget everything for a few hours but even then, he knew something important was happening. The way the meeting had gone and the fact that Lenel's mate had been here to call him at this hour told the young flyer that things were far from he hoped. He continued to look at the clear, cold skies even if the frigid gusts made him shiver from time to time. He could only hope that this nightmarish episode in his life would soon enough come to an end. Even in this situation, the sleep was slowly taking a hold in his mind when a familiar form finally appeared in the distant sky. Immediately, the boy's eyes were thrown open and he rose to a sitting position to wait for his uncle's return. He looked expectantly and immediately addressed him happily.

"Finally you return, uncle Pterano! Where were you all this time?" He asked, deciding against revealing all he knew just yet. He looked as the older flyer slowly caught his breath and then answered to his nephew. The lighter-colored dinosaur took a sterner look as he gave his answer.

"I could ask the same of you, Petrie. Didn't I tell you to stay here while I was helping the others with safeguarding the peace? Didn't I, nephew?" He said, still disappointed by Petrie's earlier failure to listen to him. The herd was far from safe right now and tonight, if ever, he hoped Petrie to simply take the hint and do as he was told. The younger flyer's face fell as he thought about his chase from the guards of the meeting. No, that wasn't something Pterano had to know about. Instead, he sighed and answered in genuine regret.

"You did, uncle. Petrie just wanted… something else to think back then. Me hate to stay here doing nothing when anything, especially bad things, can happen! Petrie sorry about that." He said while crossing his arms. He hated to upset his uncle but he also hated the thought of simply being a burden for everyone around him. The older flyer's face eased clearly and he sighed deeply and raised an arm to his forehead as he answered.

"I know you prefer action to merely waiting and seeing what'll happen but listen to me, Petrie: this is far unlike anything you've seen before in your life. For these few days, everything can change around us and everyone around us can turn out be our enemy. I trust you completely, Petrie, but this isn't something you're prepared for." He said, trying to put the most genuine and caring face he could. Petrie looked at the older male's display with clear worry but something in Pterano's antics told him that this time, the warning was something he simply shouldn't overlook. He gulped and with an equally honest look, answered to the older flyer.

"Petrie… Petrie understand, uncle. Me know nothing about what me should think right now. Ever… everything is just a complete mess." He said while letting his head drop slightly. Pterano looked at him in sympathy, cursing the day he had asked his nephew to join him in this collapsing herd. After that day, everything had gone astray and as in all those earlier times, others were one again paying the price of his mistakes. He knew he didn't have a lot of time to prepare for today's coup but he wanted to reassure his nephew in this crucial evening. He sighed as he looked towards the main group of the flyers.

"I know, nephew. I know. I had hoped that you wouldn't have to see things like this but… let me try to find a way out from this terrible situation. I promise it'll already be better when the Bright Circle rises to the sky again." He said, hoping beyond hope he wasn't lying. Even now, he hoped Lenel wasn't doing a horrible mistake but whatever happened, the die had been cast and there was no going back. Petrie raised his head to look at his uncle and asked carefully.

"How… how can you promise it, uncle Pterano? Nimble and the others will not come back, no matter what we do." He said, naively only thinking of the damage that had already been done, still oblivious to the true threat that hung over the flyers like the darkest of sky puffies. Nira and Peak had likely informed their herds of their decisions but Petrie had been nowhere near them so he still hadn't heard of the sickening truth. Pterano cringed at those words but he suddenly noticed the Night Circle's glow creeping towards the northern mountains and even if he hated that knowledge, he knew his time would soon be up. He suddenly laid his hands on Petrie's shoulders and spoke to him silently, as if almost in a whisper.

"They are not, Petrie, but it could be far worse than that. I'll try to do what I can do to prevent further bloodshed. Promise me you'll stay here, my nephew. This time I mean it, for your own sake. Whatever happens in the coming hours, stay here and wait for the night to pass. Please, Petrie, promise me that." He said pleadingly, meaning those words like never before. In this moment, all dreams of personal glory were completely gone and only his nephew's safety was in the lighter colored flyer's mind. His expression disturbed the younger male greatly as he had never seen Pterano like this. The change from the self-confident and fearless flyer he had first learned to know couldn't have been starker and despite breaking many of his earlier promises. Petrie realized that this time his uncle's request surely came from his heart. He would have wanted nothing more than to be able to help his benefactor but this was a moment he simply couldn't lie to the dinosaur who had done so much to save him from the deepest sorrow of his life. He waited for a moment before answering in an equally silent and heartfelt voice.

"Petrie promise that, uncle. Just promise Petrie you'll be safe yourself." He said, immediately hitting back at Pterano with another wave of emotion. He took a brief smile before speaking, highly moved by his nephew's display of concern.

"I guarantee that to you, Petrie. But before I go, I'm very proud of the way you have changed ever since I found you at the river. I'm happy we met again even if it should have been in better circumstances. We'll meet again in the morning, my dear nephew." And before the boy received even the briefest of chances to answer, the older flyer took off and left the darker-colored dinosaur alone in the endless darkness. Petrie's expression turned into one of utmost concern and fear, the winds of the Cold Time's night suddenly feeling much more freezing than ever before.

* * *

"Are these all that you managed to gather, Taria?" Lenel asked as he checked at his deputy's four companions who looked at him respectfully, all of them ready to follow him and the female through whatever was requested of them. Taria frowned slightly but decided against taking her leader's words too literally yet. She had done what had been asked of her to the best of her ability.

"They are, Lenel. They aren't many but you know all of them yourself and we both know they're more than capable of handling dozen of enemies." She said, prompting Lenel to cross his arms as he contemplated his deputy's words. He had hoped for more but it was true that each of their companions had to be completely trustworthy and it was true, this was a group he'd lay down his life in any moment. If need be, he would call the rest of his herd but for now, he hoped these carefully-chosen flyers would be enough to see today's plan through. He was just about to answer when another approaching flyer caught his attention. He frowned deeply as he saw Pterano approaching with only two companions, knowing that there would have been many more capable flyers within his herd but apparently his deputies didn't have enough time as despite everything, he still trusted their judgement as if they were his own.

"Well met, Pterano. I had hoped more from you but I guess this is what we'll have to go on with. We have no time to waste anymore. Those cursed fools are going down!" Lenel said, more than enraged by his former allies' actions. The gathered flyers nodded approvingly while Haste soon walked towards the deputies with an expectant look on her face. She started to speak as soon as Lenel had finished.

"Indeed they are but we can't afford to make any mistakes. I will advise you on how to move forward but the honored Lenel will still lead this effort. We have spoken a lot about this and we have decided that spreading our forces is the best way to move forward…"

* * *

"Do you think the others will approve of this? You are not their real leader and frankly, they have very little reason to follow any of your orders or decisions." Nira asked silently, more than exhausted by today's events. Her announcement to her followers had been far from well-received but no one had given her a direct challenge over her decision to once again take her own herd's matters to their own hands which had brought her slight relief. But it had also brought her an unexpected guest who offered another interesting chapter in this seemingly never-ending saga of alliances and twists.

"Some of them most likely will, Nira. It is true that I'm not related to Nimble in any way but many saw the way I acted as her deputy and I hold the respect of many flyers in our herd. Half will probably break away from us but that's a possibility I'm willing to take." Kero said, his voice still wavering with sorrow. All his life he had done his best to earn his place in the herd and the honor of doing his all to help his family live in peace. Nimble had been a dear friend to him and even in this situation, the male knew there was nothing else he could do to salvage even the remnants of the authority that had died with Nimble. And he knew that the best anyone could do in this situation was to try to join Nira's herd for protection. Nira nodded understandingly, knowing that Kero's words made perfect sense.

"I see. It's a real shame to see your leader's legacy crumble like this but we never know where our end will finally wait for us. Nimble will certainly be missed." Nira said genuinely as there had been times when she had truly seen the fallen flyer more as a friend than as a fellow leader. She had been one dinosaur with whom she had understood completely and next to her own family, Nimble had been the one whose company Nira had enjoyed the most. Kero raised his gaze into the skies while crossing his arms briefly. Up there, his dear friend was watching over him and he could only hope he wouldn't her and their herd down completely.

"I hope her final flight was a calm and happy one. We will remember her memory for as long as at least one of us are still in this world. May the beloved ancestors cast their curse upon that damned Deron." Kero said while the sight of Nimble getting ambushed in the middle of the raging storm with him unable to do anything to help her. Nira took a sad smile as she answered.

"It will, eventually. No one will be able to escape their fates forever. However, Kero, I have to ask, are you willing to give up any hopes you might have of ever reclaiming Nimble's position as my equal? You aren't a member of the great families so even your claim to watch over your own herd is a frail one." She said while raising her beak upwards, knowing she had the right to demand this much from the male. Kero returned the melancholic smile as he answered.

"Of course I know it, Nira. I would never have come here if…" Suddenly, a silent crack could be herd from nearby, immediately alerting the female as well as the four guards who were ensuring their leader's safety. Nira immediately moved closer to the spot where the voice had come from, knowing that she couldn't be too careful tonight. She hoped that this relative calm would remain as she still trusted Lenel and peak enough to avoid counting them as potential threats. She still regretted that she had had to follow Peak in his decision but she simply couldn't continue dwelling in this group of endless lies and mistrust. The guards, too, started searching for any signs of intruders but there seemed to be no movement in the small pit-resembling depression in the ground which was surrounded by Nira's herd members.

The female frowned as her eyes searched the darkness around her, knowing better than to let anything up for a chance this night. Kero looked around himself in worry, equally conflicted about the whole day's aftermath.

* * *

"You'll stay here, Haste. I don't want any kinds of surprises from you now." Sireia said flatly, immediately declining the other female's plead to speak to Nira in an effort to catch her attention. She didn't know whether Haste was serious or only trying to test her but his answer was a clear one. She knew that any kinds of mistakes at this point could cost her and her mate their lives. Lenel was leading his group towards Peak as it was safest for the two rival leaders to die simultaneously. The female still cringed at that thought but the thought of killing her former allies, her former friends wasn't completely out of the question after all these seasons of conflict and fighting. Each herd by extension, every flyer was in charge of themselves and she was only doing what was the most sensible one for her. Haste glanced at her and hissed angrily.

"Do you want to do this or not, Sireia? How can I pave the way for you others if I won't be able to get their attention away from your attack?" She said angrily, doing her best to change Sireia's mind. The tan-colored flyer, however, wouldn't hear any of it. She had a plan and she would stick with it, no matter what.

"You know what we have to do! Taria, taker two of your companions and do what you must!" Sireia spoke silently as she watched at Nira's dark form in the distance. Taria nodded and soon enough, she and the two other flyers moved to drop a massive boulder down a nearby hill towards the hole Nira had chosen as her sleeping spot for this night. The sound of falling ground, which was somewhat dampened by the hardening earth, would be enough to draw at least some of the guards away and open a chance for the two and two others of their followers to move on Nira. Sireia smiled slightly as the massive boulder rolled down the hill, just silent enough to avoid catching too much attention from the other flyers. It was mere moments before the guards responded to the voice and Sireia knew her time was at hand.

"Let's go, now! We don't have much time!" And so the two females rose again to the sky, knowing that the minutes would decide whether their plan would succeed or whether their very lives would end in this nameless wasteland.

* * *

Lenel's eyes scoured the ground as he and Pterano started to land near Peak's resting place. The pale flyer cursed internally as he looked at the scene, his adversary having just as many dinosaurs as he had expected. This would be far from easy, especially as he had little knowledge about whether Peak was expecting something to happen. Even worse, this attack would have to be shown as a defense as without any of Peak's close relatives, it would be a struggle for him and Haste to prove that Peak had been but a traitor from the beginning. Well, that issue would have to wait until the herd was his to command. He whispered silently to his companions, willing to make sure that he would execute this plan flawlessly.

"Peak has to be somewhere out there as I know him and he would never leave his family unattended. We have to create an opening as quickly as possible." The light-colored flyer said as he examined the flyers circling their leader. Pterano frowned slightly, knowing there was little time to waste. If Sireia, Haste and the others were unsuccessful in their attempt and the word would spread of their endeavor, all would be lost. He looked at the scene for a while and then noticed something which caught his eye.

"The area to their left seems to be more lightly guarded which could be the way we should use. It seems like our best chance, Lenel." He said, noticing there were only four flyers circling Peak's left side. Lenel narrowed his eyes to see better in the dark and after a moment, he nodded to his deputy with some approval.

"You're right, Pterano. Follow me, everyone! From now on, whatever happens, don't forget our mission. If all else fails, I'll call for reinforcements but hopefully that simply won't come to pass. Come on, there is no time to waste! It is time to ensure that all your children will be able to sleep in peace even in the future!" He said as he slowly started to move forward, taking great care in ensuring that he wouldn't be spotted prematurely. Pterano followed him closely and in the dark night, even the guards couldn't spot them just yet. Lenel cringed as the ground sparkles creaked below him but that sound could be minimized with slow and careful steps. However, that didn't last long as suddenly, Pterano's leg sank deeper into the white cover of the earth, the following sound being more than enough to raise unwanted attention. The light brown flyer cast an apologizing look at his leader but almost immediately, two flyers headed their way, alerted by the sudden sound.

For the briefest of moments, Lenel already feared that all was lost. Even in the darkness, he and his followers would be easily seen in the middle of the sparkling white ground and he immediately gave an order to his companions.

"Rise to the air, quickly! We have to take them out before they can give the alarm!" He said, knowing his order could be a long shot but he was willing to take any chance offered to him in this moment of danger. The flyers immediately spread their wings, obeying the order of their leader. The small group spread quickly away from the spot where the voice had emanated from. The duo had failed to notice the other flyer's disappearance and that was the last mistake they ever made. As they circled over the bald plain, Lenel quickly waved his wing and just after the two guards had left back towards Peak and his family's resting place, three flyers moved at them with their full speed, immediately slicing their throats wide open. The whole display was too quick for either of them to even begin a call to the others but on the other hand, they didn't have to.

In the middle of this unsavory attack, Lenel hadn't seen one flyer sleeping much closer to the spot of this bloody display. A young, slightly bluish boy was woken up by the thud of the flyers hitting the ground and the first thing his eyes caught was the blood of the guards raining to the ground along with the poor guards. There was only one realistic thing for poor Ortin to do and that was to scream with all his might.

* * *

The entire atmosphere of the night had turned eerie for Nira very quickly. She was a seasoned fighter and a long-time leader of her herd and she had been forced to learn to recognize danger when she was facing it. And she also knew that any potential enemy would want to face her alone and defenseless, as any attacker should, but luckily to the, she wouldn't give them that chance. She looked at her guards disappear into the darkness and in a further show of apparent ignorance about what was most likely going on, she turned again to look at Kero but before she could speak, she heard what she had already expected and immediately, gave a silent call that could only be heard in the areas nearby to the pit she had chosen as her resting place. At the same time, she turned around and just as the attacker was about to hit her, she quickly caught her leg and threw her to the ground, just in time to repel the first attack towards her. She looked self-confidently as ten more of her followers flew towards him, each of them willing to give their lives for their leader. Nira herself was, however, completely stunned as she recognized the attacker.

"Haste? What in the name of…?" She started as another flyer quickly flew towards her and it was only a matter of few fleeting moments that she managed to dodge the attacker's charge. Even then, one of them managed to sink their claws at her right side, making her cringe in pain. Even then, she gathered herself as her guards slowly gathered around the attackers, clearly intent on ending this brash attack. Nira looked in utter astonishment at his sister and stuttered to her in disbelief. She had more often than not disapproved of Haste's propositions and the two sisters had never enjoyed too warm relations. But to see her trying to attack her… Nira's eyes also wandered at Sireia, her presence confirming her worst fears. She was only disappointed that Haste was with her.

"I never thought you'd go to this, Haste! I know you've disapproved of my decisions in the past but for the sake of all that is good in this world, why did you join those who only wish to manipulate and rule us? Is this the way you are trying to prove that you should have been at my place from the beginning?" She asked, anger slowly overtaking her initial shock.

* * *

Sireia, on the other hand, was glad that the other female was taking her time to question Haste. She had been better prepared than she had expected but even now, all was not lost. She could see growing determination in Haste's eyes and she knew that she wasn't about to give up her claim like this. Especially since she had another advantage Nira didn't have a clue about. Additionally, Kero's presence opened another possibility of trying to ally with Nimble's former followers but before that, they'd have to emerge from this struggle. The slightly shorter flyer tried to take a few steps closer to her sister but she was immediately blocked by the newcomers. Her voice dipped with bitterness as she spoke to her sister.

"Even that is a better option than heading for a certain decline and doom, yes! We were a proud herd once but you gave up out territory, our honor to join with Lenel, only to cast that alliance away because that foolish Peak claimed senseless things! My sister, I have tried to help you rule our herd with wisdom but you never once thought you might be mistaken yourself! Even then, we've been through too many good times for me to want to fight you. Step down now, Nira, and I will spare your life and even keep you as my deputy." Sireia's head immediately turned at Haste as she had never spoken of these kinds of offers. She had agreed to kill Nira and this remark hardly raised her trust in the other female's motives. Nira's beak turned into a pitying smile as she answered to her wayward sister's words.

"You don't have any of the qualities needed to take my place, Haste. I'd like to teach you that much as I'd like nothing more than to simply forget this meeting. Even then, our family and herd have always been my charge and you know as well as I that the mantle of a leader simply isn't simply passed on to others. And even if I could, I've cared for our herd members for more Cold Times than I can remember and I would never pass my position to someone who is ready to kill her own her sister! You may reveal your deal with Lenel right away, you cursed traitor!" Nira cried as she moved closer to her sister whose expression, to Nira's growing outrage, was completely unmoved by her words. Instead, Haste simply turned to look at the flyers around her as she spoke to Nira in a low voice.

"I'm so sorry you couldn't see things my way, Nira. I truly am. Now, do it my friends!" The female cried as Nira frowned deeply. What did she mean? She wouldn't possibly…

Nira's thoughts were completely halted as she suddenly saw something she had never thought possible even in her worst dreams. Nearly half of her own guards suddenly sank their claws into their own comrades, immediately throwing them all, including Kero, into complete disarray. Nobody knew what was happening as flyer fought against flyer and friend against friend. Haste smiled as she realized her own allies had kept their oath to her despite the highly volatile nature of her plan. Haste and Sireia quickly started to fly towards the other leader, knowing now was their time to act. Nira started to back away but soon enough, she realized there was no escaping from this challenge. She quickly took off to prepare for the upcoming fight, hoping there would be a satisfying end to this night of sorrow and betrayal.

* * *

The young flyer gasped loudly, his eyes turning into round spheres of utter despair and disbelief as he looked all hell break loose around him. The sight of the guard being crushed to the ground would be one he'd never forget in his life but what followed it was even worse. Immediately Lenel, who the poor boy had regarded as a trustworthy flyer, and his companions flew towards him but just as the blue-colored flyer thought he was done for, they moved past him with full speed, heading straight for the rest of his family! After his first shock drew off, Ortin headed to make sure that he wouldn't have to lose a loved one, even a more distant one, ever again. His grandmother was the only real family he had left but Peak and the others had still helped him get over the loss of his dad.

A cold fear grabbed Ortin's heart as he rose to his wings, dreading what he'd see as he headed after the small group who had betrayed his family like this. As he rose to the dark, frigid sky, his eyes caught a scene even more monstrous than what he had expected. The whole plain before him was completely covered with fighting flyers as a quickly growing group of flyers attempted to block the attackers' advance. Ortin wasted no time heading for heading to find at least someone who could stop this display of pure madness. He looked around himself as if in frenzy, his mind unable to process what was happening before his eyes. The boy's small size enabled him to bypass the fighters highly undetected and after a moment, he spotted the flyer he had hoped to see the most.

"Grandma! What is going on? One moment, I am…" He started but immediately as he landed, his grandmother put her hand around his beak and spoke to him as smoothly as she could from her own shock.

"It'll be alright, Ortin. I promise you. No group of thieves or traitors will be able to get through our herd. You know that." She said, looking in worry as more and more of the guards headed to stop the attacking group. Ortin, however, didn't calm down any as he quickly pulled his grandmother's hand away from holding his beak and cried to her in near panic.

"But it is Lenel leading them and Petrie's uncle is there, too! If they have more flyers to help them, then… then…" Ortin said until he quickly felt the words getting stuck in his throat. Those news caused the older flyer to again raise her gaze at the flyers, her own eyes widening greatly. She would have wanted to help her grandson but only a shocked remark left her beak after those news.

"May Warekli, our most beloved ancestor, watch over us."

* * *

Pterano gritted his teeth as he landed another blow against another flyer who was doing all in his might to hold him and his companions back. Thus far the attackers' advance hadn't halted completely but the whole mission had turned into a desperate struggle the moment Ortin had revealed his and companions' presence to everyone within shouting distance. The light brown flyer was beyond sickened as he saw the young boy flee in utter fear, completely shocked to see him, of all flyers, threatening him and his family like this. After all, he had been one of the flyers who had first shown at least some friendliness towards his nephew on his hour of need.

But as always, times of crisis always had innocent victims no one had wanted to cause. Even if Ortin would be forced to suffer from this attack, he was still acting for the good of all the dinosaurs in these four herds. That thought wasn't much for the older flyer but it was all he had to keep himself calm on this most fateful of nights. A slight look of relief rose to his face when he finally got the upper hand against his opponent by forcing him against a pile of rocks and then outpowering him into a bad position. It wasn't long until he was victorious in his own fight but it was but a little episode in the midst of the wider fight.

* * *

Lenel cursed as he thought about whether to call the rest of his followers to back him up in this sickening battle. It would offer him an advantage momentarily but the risk was that if the words of this spread across the rest of the flyers, this fight itself could tear the herd into pieces, this time literally. He would have hoped to do this silently but in the end, it would have been little more than futile wishful thinking. If he ever wanted to be capable of leading the flyers after today, he would have to prove his capabilities here. He quickly took down another of his adversaries nearby and then gave a quick command to his companions.

"Break their line in the middle and finish this, quickly! We cannot let this carnage linger any longer!" Lenel knew that Peak's downfall would hardly calm the situation down immediately but it would offer him an opportunity to hold his line and with any luck, prove to them that he had only done what he had to. He had a lot of respect among Peak's followers as well and if he put a good enough impression following his victory, he might just pull this mission off before his losses would become too high. However, his command was almost immediately followed by a voice that Lenel had waited to hear ever since he first had begun this attack.

"I always knew this was what you were really planning, Lenel! I knew it was you who was to blame from all our troubles from the very beginning! I should have done what I did long ago to reveal you as the traitor and murderer you truly are!" The rather high but steady voice of Peak called as the orange colored flyer landed between his guards, knowing that impressions and acts of bravery were far more important in these kinds of situations than anything he could say. The fighting didn't stop, however, and Lenel knew he had to avoid seeming to escape from the battle to argue with Peak. He fought himself free from any adversaries before he found a time to give his answer to Peak, full well knowing that he couldn't allow Peak to claim the initiative in the battle for the hearts of minds of the fighting flyers.

"You certainly have a lot of experience of treachery, Peak! Or have you already forgotten why we're here in the first place? Or all the tales of you winning your old battles with pure plotting and backstabbing? Lenel shouted as he quickly parried the attack of another of his opponents, more than relieved by the courage his followers were showing in the face of the enemy's superior numbers. Peak shorted slightly as he walked closer to the fighting dinosaurs, simultaneously raising his hand to order more of his subordinates to join the fighting.

"That's what all flyers who want to live old should do. I, however, would never have tried to snuff the life out of my rivals in their sleep! You are a complete disgrace to Olres and all those who have ever followed you and believe me, Lenel, I'll make sure you will never again spread your lies again." The other leader said as he spoke to his long-time rival and his newest enemy. However, his words reached only few flyers as most of them wanted to only ensure that their side would prevail in this fight. However, it mattered little to Peak who, no matter who looked at his situation, trusted that this night would be his. Defeating Lenel's pathetic attempt to overthrow him would only make him stronger in the eyes of his herd so no matter what he did, he would emerge as the victor in the upcoming dawn. Pterano looked at the orange flyer in anger, not believing the trash he was hearing. Granted, Peak had his appearances to hold and it was unlikely someone like he would treat his potential killers with respect but it seemed Peak was completely out of touch with reality. However, those thoughts were overshadowed by the fight until he heard one call from Lenel, one that he hadn't expected him to use just yet.

"Then prove to me you are worthy of your position, Peak! Fight me and if your skills are as great as your words, I'll acknowledge you as a true leader in every sense of the word! Do the right thing for once and save our followers' lives!" The pale flyer cried, causing his counterpart's eyes to widen immediately. The call for a one-on-one fight wasn't uncommon among flyers but few leaders who regularly used it lived until the next Cold Time. It was usually a test of strength between two flyers who wanted prove their dominance over their rival but just as well, nobody had an obligation to accept that challenge. After his initial surprise, Peak noticed that a few of the fights had halted to hear his answer and almost immediately, Peak's face turned into a frown.

"You've got quite the nerve, Lenel. After all you've done, you think you can simply come here and think you can prove you're right by challenging me to some puny fight? A slimy traitor like you will never get the privilege of standing as my equal again! March on, my friends! Wipe this fool into the Great Beyond!" Peak cried and immediately, more and more of Peak's herd members began to fill the scene and Lenel knew he was left with no other choice. He let out a loud screech, calling for his own followers into the scene as well. He had wanted nothing more than to avoid this possibility but a full-fledged fight inside the herd was starting to look like an unavoidable scenario.

* * *

Petrie shuddered as he heard the sudden cry penetrate the sky which had been preceded with countless of cries of pain and death. The young boy was completely penetrated with fear as he knew that something was going on within the herd, something of which his uncle was part of! The flyer looked to the direction of the sounds, wanting nothing more than to go ensure that all was well with Pterano, that no harm would befall upon him. Yet, the look in his eyes when he had told him to stay here still lingered within the child's mind, the pleading stare still haunting his mind without an end.

His soul called for action and during the few seasons of his life, he would have found the will to help his uncle but slowly yet surely, Petrie realized that Mysterious Beyond was not the Great Valley and Pterano had far more experience of surviving out here than he did. Seeing how concerned he was for his nephew's sake had changed something in Petrie's mind and despite his terrifying fear, he knew what he would have to do. For the first time in his life, he would listen to the advice given to him from grown-ups. Petrie's body shuddered with fear but with all his willpower, he sat down to save his uncle from any further concerns or heartbreak in case all would go wrong, hoping he could hide his fears as efficiently as the night embraced the young flyer in its dark embrace.

* * *

The flyer took a few steps backwards and panted heavily as she looked at a wide wound in her belly while preparing for her two opponents' counterattack. Even if Nira knew she had put forward a good defense, she also knew she wouldn't win against her two opponents by her own. Her guards and Haste's traitors were still engaged in a deadly melee and Nira knew they wouldn't help either side in time. She had thought for so long that she had been protected herself well enough but never once had she suspected her sister of ever trying to betray her! Never once had she thought that there had been so many within her most trusted followers who would be willing to side against her this readily. How much hate and distrust lingered inside the herd she had thought to have led wisely all these seasons? Those thoughts sickened her but right now, that wasn't something she could affect right now. All she could was to try to somehow live through this as despite it being her most probable way of survival, she would not pass her position to her sister. No flyer who would be willing to go this far to fulfill her own desires could be trusted with the lives of dozens of dinosaurs. Nira looked feverishly around her, trying to find something that could allow her to either escape or turn the tables against her foes but to her growing fear, nothing worthwhile met her gaze. In growing realization and shock, Nira understood that she had but option: to prevail against these two or to fall in fight and fulfill her duty to the herd she had given her all ever since she was but a girl.

Her opponent's attempts to disengage from the fight annoyed Sireia greatly but she also knew that she couldn't get too greedy in her attempts to stop Nira's maneuvers. One misstep would give the experienced fighter an opening to turn the tide of the fight and crush her with one, well-executed move. She and Haste had managed to wound their foe but the fight was still undecided but the tan-colored female knew that every second that passed made her plan ever less likely to work. She would have to end this quickly, regardless of the risks such a move could contain. She could see Nira was trying to catch her breath among the terrifying pain caused by her new wound and Sireia decided that her moment had come.

With a powerful push, she flew towards Nira but just as she was about to hit the other female, she rose slightly higher, attempting to distract her from her real plan. Sireia had noticed that there was a powerful gust behind her opponent which she knew she could use as a way to buy Haste enough time to get the decisive advantage the duo needed to win this struggle. Nira looked at the other flyer with slight surprise but even then, she knew she had to keep her focus on both of her opponents. During the split second she looked at her sister who was also advancing towards her quickly, Sireia flipped to catch the wind and as Nira turned her gaze back towards Sireia, it was too late for her to stop the other female's assault. Yet, even now, Nira wasn't completely helpless. She saw that Sireia's control of her own flight was far from perfect and despite her momentum, the other flyer had left parts of her side unprotected. Nira cringed as she felt Sireia's weight pull them both towards the rocky ground but she quickly managed to sink her claws into Sireia's abdomen, making her screech in pain loudly.

Yet, her valiant attack also marked the end of the proud leader's stand. Haste flew towards the two other flyers, aiming her attack straight towards her sister's head. Little emotion could be seen on the female's face for her sister, the only look being that of triumph and hate. It took Nira a few seconds to recover from the initial collision but when she finally did, she found herself pushed towards the ground by Sireia, the sharp-faced dinosaur's hands strictly restricting Nira from any kind of hopes of escape. Sireia herself was in deep pain but she knew this was her chance to end this fight once and for all. Nira tried to struggle against her opponent but after she saw her sister approach her, her efforts turned into panicked kicks and cries which only confirmed her defeat. After a short while, Haste hit her head and throat with a terrible force, sparing Sireia only barely. The attack had been unbelievably effective in its brutality, ending the life of another of the four herds' leaders life in a matter of seconds.

* * *

His eyes turned into a deep frown as Peak saw over a dozen more opponents joining Lenel's side of the battle. It seemed like he couldn't simply crush the green-eyed flyer's followers with pure force even if it was still clear that he had the upper hand in the struggle for his own followers' future. The battle was earning more and more attention among the other flyers as the sounds of fighting grew more profound. Yet, despite his distrust of others, Peak wasn't one of the leaders who was prepared to hide behind the backs of his companions, only waiting for his herd to buy his victories to him. No, he would lend his all safe the lives of as many as he could and after the fight's escalation he quickly waved another dinosaur nearby to him.

"Go and try to get Lenel away from the others, Bluegust! I'll come help you soon but until then, I have to secure that there's no way for those bastards to break through our ranks!" Peak said to the enormous flyer who was nearly twice the size of his brother who was by no means a short dinosaur himself. Bluegust's strength was widely renowned and he had been an invaluable right hand to Peak during their times together. The larger flyer nodded to Peak quickly, yearning to get down to action.

"Of course, brother. That traitor will go down before we know it! Just make sure you won't screw things up on your own." He said, earning a brief frown from Peak. Bluegust was the only one he let to joke on his behalf even a bit but he still disapproved of his antics more often than he had hoped. He snorted in annoyance as he went on to lead his herd into another glorious victory.

"This is no time for jabbering! Time is off the essence so get on the move!" Peak said, looking smugly as another of Lenel's pathetic flyers fell under their enemies' attack. Soon enough, their leader would follow them into their end and he could finally prove that he was right about the others' weakness and treachery all along.

* * *

The fight had turned into a static one which made Pterano curse big time. Not only was the battle become more dangerous but also much more deadly. Both of the herds would suffer greatly which was a scenario he had dreaded from the very beginning. Yet, there was no turning back now. The defenders' lines were getting thin and Peak knew most likely himself that fleeing from this fight would mean his actual defeat. Despite the countless cuts in his body, Pterano felt slight hope swell within his chest. That was, until his eyes wandered into the sky and caught a sight that shocked him without an end. The shade of a massive flyer was dashing towards him and Lenel and that shadow could only belong to one flyer. Bluegust's ferocity and brute strength were widely respected even among flyers who had never seen him and it had often been his presence alone that had saved his allies in previous battles. Pterano quickly cried to Lenel who was too busy defending himself to pay attention to the attacker.

"Take cover! Don't just stand there!" He cried, earning an annoyed look from those around him but Lenel knew better than to ignore the others' warnings. Without even looking what his deputy meant, Lenel jumped heavily backwards and in the last possible moment, saw what had made Pterano sound that terrified. Instinctually, Lenel prepared for the attack and concentrated all his strength for one leap. Just as the larger flyer was preparing for the hit, Lenel jumped forward and grabbed the attackers' right wing and quickly pulled him from his original course, sending the attacker to hit the ground headlong. The light-colored flyer looked at the scene in relief, knowing this attack could have very well been his end. Immediately, he moved to finish the fight but he underestimated Bluegust's swiftness.

The larger flyer was completely taken aback by Lenel's cold-headed reaction to his attack and his oversight of his opponent's skill had caused a serious setback for him but if he had counted Lenel away as a weak and slow fool, Lenel now saw his opponent as a brainless brute. Lenel thought that Bluegust would never guess just where his finishing move would come the larger flyer knew very well what his opponent would do. He quickly rolled to his left side and when Lenel saw that his trick had failed, it was too late. He did his best to turn around and away from the powerful dinosaur's way but it was for nothing. Bluegust grabbed Lenel's left wing and pulled him nearer to him and before the higher-ranked leader could even begin to fight his way towards freedom, he found himself pushed towards a large rock, facing his enemy in a position in which defending himself would be completely hopeless. Lenel used every muscle in his body trying to break Bluegust's hold but it was all for nothing. In the back of his mind, Lenel was already coming to terms with the fact that all his ambitions, all his hopes would end from the hands of a flyer he had always deemed but a useless fool.

* * *

However, there was another flyer nearby who wasn't about to let the bloody display move forward the way Peak's brother would have hoped. Pterano had looked at the swift battle in complete astonishment, simultaneously impressed by Lenel's reactions and Bluegust's ferocity, the display stunning him for a few moments. A few moments which could very well prove to be the difference between his leader's survival and death. Bluegust looked like a flyer of legend crushing a puny upstart as he towered over Lenel and the expression on his face told that no mercy would be given or asked tonight.

Instinctually, Pterano took off from the ground and flew towards the duo, hoping beyond hope to reach Lenel in time. With the pale flyer rested his own life and Petrie's future in the herd as it was very likely Lenel's deputy wouldn't simply be allowed be allowed to leave other tonight's bloody display. And without him, his nephew could very well starve in the loneliness, facing the same grim fate he had saved the boy from. The position Lenel had promised him was far from his mind the moment he saw Bluegust pushing Lenel towards the stone with ever-increasing force and prepare to crush his opponent once and for all. In just a few moments, Lenel's ribcage would crush into a thousand splinters and the fight would be over once and for all. Pterano heard the blood beat in his ears as he tried to feverishly save his benefactor of the past seasons. Just as it seemed like Lenel was giving in to the pain and Bluegust was about to give the final blow, Pterano hit his back, sending the larger flyer rolling to the ground, causing him to release Lenel from his sickening grasp.

However, that save didn't come without a price. Pterano followed the larger flyer into the ground and before he had the time to rise up, Bluegust turned around and grabbed Pterano's left leg and with one, quick move, broke it as if it were but a small, withered stick. The smaller flyer looked at that display in deep shock, the pain slowly starting to spread across the rest of his body. Without his leg, he couldn't run and even flying without the control of all of his limbs would be slow and forced. Bluegust knew that, of course, and he quickly resumed his offensive. Pterano tried to rise up but the pain and his ruined leg made any attempt to stand against his opponent futile. He looked with wide eyes as his opponent approached him, seeing the murderous glare in the massive brute's eyes.

That development wasn't lost on Lenel of course. He looked in horror at what was happening to his deputy and he knew he couldn't leave Pterano completely alone, no matter his injury. He immediately moved on to repay his debt to the light-brown flyer… until his flight was suddenly interrupted by another flyer.

"Don't bother to stop my brother now, Lenel. Your deputy deserves a clean end instead of serving you in the case you happen to be able to slither away from here!" Peak said as he suddenly landed near his opponent, accompanied by three of his followers. Even if the light-colored flyer hadn't noticed it, Bluegust had succeeded in getting the two higher-ranked flyers away from the main scene of the battle, opening a way for Peak to step in and finish what his brother had started. Lenel was completely taken aback by this development, not expecting Peak to appear here himself. After their initial clash, Peak had seemed to dismiss the idea of a fair confrontation and even with his guards accompanying him, this was a surprising development. However, Lenel knew he had another charge to do first and that was to save Pterano. He flew forward, not seeming to notice the newcomers and quickly pushed aside the flyers who tried to cut his dash.

* * *

Yet, even now, Pterano wasn't completely helpless himself. Even with his broken leg, he managed to hold his ground against his opponent for a while which seemed to annoy Bluegust without an end. He had already been twice at the verge of victory and this cursed weakling wouldn't delay his fulfillment of his brother's order. Pterano's movements were slow and forced but even now, he kept his cool and with great efforts, managed to even wound the larger flyer a few times. Bluegust, however, was more than ready to simply get over this nonsense and quickly stepped forward, attempting to simply force Pterano backwards and utilize her inability to walk to his best advantage. Pterano knew all too well what that plan would mean for him and he knew he had to do something now. Lenel was still too far away to be of any help so he had to do this himself.

Bluegust seemed to overwhelm Pterano's entire vision and the smaller flyer knew he had but one chance to save himself. Peak's brother suddenly waved his hand in an attempt to his adversary and at that moment, Pterano made his move. He jumped forward as quickly as he could and he quickly scratched Bluegust to his chest with all his might, hoping this could save him from the obvious counterattack. The larger flyer let out a pained scream but his injury didn't prevent him from crushing Pterano one and for all. However, there came another development he hadn't yet expected.

Lenel knew his position was extremely dangerous but once again, Pterano had surprised him with his bravery and unwillingness to give up in the face of desperate odds. He looked in deep admiration at Pterano's attack and before Bluegust could do anything to hurt his deputy, Lenel doubled down on Pterano's hit and sank his claws deep into Bluegust's chest, causing the giant flyer to finally take a few steps back in disbelief, slowly raising his and on his wounded torso. The wound wasn't lethal, yet, but it was far more than he had expected from Lenel's deputy. Lenel quickly saw his chance and headed straight towards Bluegust, knowing this was his chance to get to Peak.

The situation was beyond unbelievable for Pterano who looked at Bluegust's struggles in awe. He and Lenel had succeeded in beating off the giant flyer's attack and the defeat of Peak's brother would almost certainly lead to the other leader's defeat! Soon enough, he would be able to tell Petrie that all was well ag…

That brief moment of victory was suddenly interrupted as Pterano felt his back being grabbed by another flyer and before he received the chance to even twitch his head, he felt a terrifying pain in his throat and instinctually, he turned to look at his chest and the last thing his fading eyes saw were sickening streams of his own blood dropping to the ground. Before he managed to form even another thought, the light brown flyer who had only started to redeem himself of his past fell to his knees, only to fall to his side to the ground.

* * *

Peak grimaced in disgust as he pulled back his hand from his victim's throat. Today had gone far from the way he wanted but at least this insufferable fool was now dealt with. He had often seen Pterano as a trustworthy and honorable flyer but he had chosen the wrong side in this conflict and paid for it with his life. There was no time to mourn his unneeded death and he immediately raised his gaze up… only to see something that froze his heart momentarily.

* * *

The brutal display made everything stop in Lenel's eyes as he looked at his deputy's broken body. Only a few seconds earlier, he was prepared to celebrate this great victory with him and soon enough, Pterano would have received the honor of standing by his side at the head of this great herd. All these Cold Times, Pterano had been a valuable ally… and even a good friend. Lenel knew he'd be missed greatly in the weeks to come but right now, he had to press forward in the only way possible. With a quick sprint, he took a firm grip on Bluegust in order to show Peak that he had the upper hand over his brother, one that couldn't be taken away from him anymore. The larger dinosaur was completely unable to fight back as his injuries seemed to render him completely unable to resist his opponent's attack. Lenel then cried to Peak who was stopped by the pale flyer's latest trick.

"Fight me one against one or I'll slaughter your brother right here, you cursed assassin! Don't take another step, Peak!" Lenel knew he was in a completely hopeless situation if Peak wouldn't notify his threat but Lenel knew that wouldn't come happen. Peak might be many things but all his life, his loyalties had lied with his family and Peak would never allow his brother to die if he could only avoid it.

The orange flyer looked at the display in utter outrage, cursing himself over and over for allowing this thing to happen. He should never had let his brother come here in the first place as the battle had already been won! Bluegust was one of the strongest fighters he had seen but even then, Lenel was by no means an easy opponent. His overconfidence had brought his family one step closer to its end and even if he knew simply attacking Lenel would bring him the victory here, he couldn't find it within himself to simply allow his brother to die like this. With a resigned wave, he told his companions to stay still and called to Lenel in a loud voice.

"Very well, Lenel! Let my brother go and you will get the privilege to face me yourself! You have my word about that in the name of my family, the children of Warekli himself!" Peak said, giving the most powerful pledge he could. At this point, he couldn't turn back or he'd risk losing his authority and position in the eyes of his own herd. Lenel stared at Peak for a moment before taking a brief sigh and releasing the seriously wounded flyer from his grasp. Bluegust took one, last gaze at his opponent before moving away from the dark plain, knowing full well what his defeat meant. Lenel then cocked his head and spoke to Peak in a forceful voice.

"Then command your guards further away from us, Peak! We'll fight right here and now!" Lenel cried, not willing to call for a duel when the other flyers were present, not when he was practically on a mission to assassinate a fellow leader, no matter how good his intentions were. Peak frowned deeply at his opponent's latter demand but in the end, he didn't want a public argument with a flyer who could make his role in Nimble's downfall so much better known to the others. He turned at his followers and spoke to them silently.

"Move to a safe distance to guarantee this traitor won't try anything funny. It won't take me long to end this charade once and for all." Peak said and his followers slowly moved away from the coming battlefield. Deep down, both flyers knew they could trust in each other's word as both of them had proved themselves to be true to their word, a quality which made at least situations like these more comfortable. Lenel nodded approvingly as he moved closer to Peak, preparing for the coming fight.

Peak narrowed his eyes, shutting the dark plain away from his mind as he looked at Lenel. Deep down, he had expected Lenel to make a move after his announcement but an attack of this magnitude and brutality wasn't something he had prepared for. But none of it mattered any. He had made his decision to forge a new, more glorious path forward for his herd, one that would be worth fighting for. He had been one of the more resourceful and respected leaders when he led his own flock a long time ago and he would be it again. For the sake of his ancestors, his fallen cousin and for his children who would carry on his legacy for the ages to come.

His limbs felt unnaturally heavy as the magnitude of this confrontation fell on Lenel's shoulders. If he ever wanted to find out Olres' secret or earn his place on the legendary flyer's place, Peak would be an obstacle he'd have to beat. Not to even mention that Sireia's future would most likely fall alongside him as her name would be forever tainted by his alleged treachery and defeat. And, even more than he actually knew, the sight of Pterano's downfall appeared to his sight. His poor deputy had done all in his might to serve him and in the end, he hadn't even managed to save him from Peak's cowardly attack. He had seen many of his friends fall during his long seasons but something in Pterano's end sickened him beyond measure. A chance to take out his murderer would be the least he could do for his deputy who had embarked on his last flight. Outrage built inside Lenel as he cried to his opponent.

"Then let us begin! I'll take great pleasure for making you regret all you've done, Peak!" Lenel cried as he took off, heading into the dark heights above him. Peak snorted for the last time before spreading his wings, knowing full well this fight would be far from an easy one. Lenel had practically put his back against the wall with this challenge as defeat would mean his death and his family's downfall. His guards were now bound with their honor to tell the truth about what happened here and most likely it would be the victor's word that would weigh more on the other flyers. Even worse, Lenel was a quick and clever fighter and beating him would require every bit of courage and skill he could utilize. He answered to Lenel's taunt briefly before searching for the best wind possible.

"You will take back your lies before all this will be over! You're going down at last, Lenel!" He cried as he suddenly took a plunge downwards, trying to get the best speed he could in order to earn the upper hand in the upcoming charges. Lenel realized that immediately but he also had to admit Peak had chosen his position more wisely than he had. In order to prevent Peak from attacking right away, Lenel headed higher towards the skies where the wind was nearly nonexistent. Once again, the sight of the larger battle appeared to his sight and to his horror, he could see that a quarter of both herds had already fallen and the rest were getting increasingly desperate to pull some kind of victory out of that hell. Lenel couldn't help but wonder if Sireia was now among them or… or had she already fallen from Nira's hand. That thought nearly made Lenel nearly forget his task at land and that was something he couldn't afford right now.

The pale flyer's plan had indeed robbed Peak of some of his momentum but he was still approaching Lenel with a worrying speed. The latter knew that he was practically but a nonmoving target for his opponent and Lenel realized this situation called for a surprise. Momentarily, he relaxed his muscles and then concentrated all his strength into a large somersault which he then used to gain some speed to answer to Peak's attack. With any luck, this earned him a new way of attacking his opponent from a direction he hadn't foreseen.

Yet, Peak was far more familiar with his fighting style than Lenel had ever realized. Peak grinned slightly as he looked at Lenel's dash and just as he was about to use his new speed to head for Peak's back, the orange flyer used another gust to turn around and by then, it was too late for Lenel to change his plan. Peak rose slightly higher which enabled him to plunge straight towards Lenel's back, his claws digging at his flesh and his weight breaking the other leader's flight completely. However, Peak knew this didn't decide the fight yet and he immediately headed after the falling flyer, willing to make him pay for all the lives that had been lost today because of him.

His back felt like it had been hit by a massive boulder as Lenel did his all to regain his balance. The wounds were already bad enough but Peak's hit at his very spine made his attempts to stay in the air far more difficult. He tried to turn around into his normal flying position but the aching in his back made those attempts beyond painful. Yet, Lenel knew it couldn't be broken as he could still move all his limbs without problem. Peak could have caused only a momentary, harmless injury he would simply have to get over if he wanted to survive this. He saw Peak heading after him and the green-eyed male knew he had but a few seconds to make his move. Lenel steeled himself like never before to start his counterattack.

He would have wanted to scream from the bottom of his heart as he finally forced himself into his natural position and in the last possible moment, stopped his plunge towards the sharp rocks of the unhospitable earth. He could see slight annoyance and surprise in Peak's eyes but the latter still seemed hardly taken aback by Lenel's move. The flying was beyond painful to Lenel and he knew he would lose sooner or later due to his temporary disability. He would have to get a counterattack on Peak now if he wanted to win this fight.

The orange flyer, however, frowned as he saw Lenel's almost natural-looking flight. He had already counted him as a goner and sure enough, his hit had been powerful enough to even snap a weaker or smaller flyer's entire spine in two. His opponent had to be in horrible pain and that meant only one thing: now was the opportunity to take the foolish flyer out of this fight once and for all. Yet, Peak knew better than to underestimate Lenel even now but if he decided against acting now, Lenel might have time to plan his next moves and even find some way to counterattack. Knowing that now was his time, Peak moved to break Lenel's hopes once and for all.

Lenel, however, didn't need any more time to plan his moves as Peak did exactly as he hoped. The pain in his back prevented him from mounting an effective attack, true, but that didn't by no means mean he wasn't able to defend himself. Peak put all his attention into a quick attack which let his opponent answer to it if he timed his strike correctly. He looked at Peak's attack, looking as terrified as Peak expected him to be. Just as he was about to sink his claws into Lenel once again, the pale flyer suddenly shoot upwards and then fell to his side, allowing him once again to regain the initiative in this fight. And he had already decided where he'd directed that advantage. Lenel felt a certain sense of triumph wash over him as he fell on Lenel and immediately directed his attack on his head and in a few moments, Lenel found what he was looking for. A blood-chilling cry filled the night as Lenel's claws sank into his fellow leader's eyes.

His entire world turned into a pain-filled hell the moment his vision failed for the very last time. His sensations were completely overshadowed with pain and his thoughts were completely blocked by one primal drive to get rid of the attacker, no matter what. The shock of surprise and will to live shut down Peak's calculative mind for a moment but even then, he knew how to best get rid of his enemy. Peak turned his back towards the ground and as he felt Lenel's grip starting to fail, Peak quickly grabbed his wing and pulled it with all his might. Lenel gritted his teeth together, making sure to hold his grip for as long as possible. His mouth turned into a slight smile as he saw the long wound he managed to create on Peak's cheek and throat before he was finally plunged away from his opponent. Before Lenel had any time to think what he would do now, he hit the ground with a violent force, leaving him completely unmoving for many seconds.

Even after his victory in the small fight, Peak was even more miserable than before. The endless darkness he saw before himself horrified him before an end and the sickening pain radiated ever further into his body. Even now, it was nearly impossible for the proud flyer to realize that his eyes had been most likely ruined for good. And all because of that one, cursed traitor…

Peak's fear suddenly turned into a desperate rage as his mind slowly reminded him of what he was up to. Lenel was still out there even if he had fallen to the ground. Even now, Lenel would not escape his punishment and Peak was more decided than ever to get rid of the flyer who had caused him so much harm during this past day. He would find Lenel even without his sight and make him hope he had never met the leader of Warekli's line in his life.

* * *

Lenel groaned slightly as he slowly began to recover from the horrific crash to the ground. He held his head, hoping beyond hope it would stop aching soon enough. His head and back felt like they were about to explode but he, too, couldn't bring himself to forget where he was. He raised his gaze towards the skies and it didn't take long for him to see Peak's form flying above him. At first, Lenel was about to shoot up to prepare to finish this fight but then he noticed how very wavering and unsure his flight was. He nearly faced Lenel but despite that, he seemed completely oblivious to his opponent's presence. It was only when he saw the blood across Peak's face that he remembered what he had done before his horrifying hit. Peak would notice him eventually but his current condition would be the decisive advantage in the coming showdown. Looking at his opponent with a self-confident smile, Lenel took a small pebble from the ground and threw it to the ground before him.

That sound alerted Peak immediately as it was a welcome change from the dark silence that was now his world. For the briefest of moments, Peak thought that Lenel was most likely stirring from his hit but the next moment he realized that Lenel wouldn't be that careless. That sound was but a pathetic, old trick which Lenel thought would save him from certain defeat. However, even now, Lenel wasn't about to let his opponent to take the initiative. Peak headed towards the ground, feeling the wind in order to find out where his opponent was hiding. However, it was at this moment that Peak noticed something which took him back completely. Small traces of light suddenly fought their way into his consciousness. His right eye wasn't completely ruined with any luck, he would regain his vision one day. However, Peak didn't let that development divert his attention from searching for Lenel. He had to mind his surroundings as it was nearly certain Lenel would try to use his opponent's injury for his advantage, as any sensible dinosaur would do.

Yet, attacking even a blind flyer wasn't easy for Lenel now. His body bled from many spots heavily and the necessary, last dash would not be a simple task. Moreover, Peak wouldn't let anyone surprise him right now, if he could only possibly avoid it. Yet, Lenel knew the decisive advantage was his and there would be no better opportunity for him to act. With silent steps, he walked towards a nearby cliff and quickly pulled a pile of rocks down to the ground. As the boulders hit the ground, Lenel flew to his left, knowing that would make it impossible for Peak to answer to his assault. The pale flyer took a few more steps before finally casting his die. Within a minute, either he or Peak would embark on the eternal fight to the next world.

Peak was completely taken aback by the flapping of the wings to his right, turning to face the attacking flyer in sudden fear. Lenel's diversion had worked perfectly and it would take a miraculous defense for him to stop Lenel's attack. He listened keenly to his foe's approach and then suddenly relaxed, realizing all wasn't lost yet. He suddenly jumped forward towards Lenel, realizing how weak Lenel actually was now. The impact led the two dinosaurs rolling to the ground, fighting for the final strike of the night. The two gave no quarter as they fought for their ambitions and living and foregone friends and family. Lenel received a nasty hit to his throat, for a moment thinking it was all over but to his luck, none of his major arteries had been cut. In return, Peak received a sickening wound to his chest that painted the orange flyer's torso red. Hit was followed by another hit and blow was only traded for another blow. The horrifying fight seemed to stretch on forever until Lenel finally found a new opening.

The other leader had trouble answering to his assaults and in this situation, he could to cast aside all carefulness and to decide this fight with one, last surprise. Peak was annoyed by his disability but soon enough, Lenel's back and wounds would buy him his victory. Just a few more hits and… suddenly Peak's thoughts were interrupted by a new wave of pain from his chest. This hit was more brutal than any of the ones that came before and immediately the flyer realized Lenel had cast off all defense for this attack but to the orange flyer's shock, the mere strength of the attack keeping him back. He could feel Lenel striking again and again and he didn't seem to care of any counterattacks, no matter what Peak did.

The dinosaur's entire mind did its all to block the terrifying pain and to finish this fight once and for all. He finally had Peak in his grip and he'd see this fight until the very end. He could see his opponent's injuries already holding him back tremendously and it would take but a few more moments and he'd be victorious. Slowly, that thought drove the agony from Lenel's mind, causing him to smile as he thought about his life's greatest victory.

It was also clear to Peak that he had lost. In a matter of mere seconds, Lenel would give the decisive blow and his life would be over once and for all. For a fleeting moment, the usually-headstrong leader already resigned to his fate, knowing it was his duty as the head of his herd to accept defeat in order to save the honor of his family. It would be better for him to simply leave this world with dignity instead of betraying his vows. However, those thoughts were suddenly swept aside as a new realization came to his mind.

Was he truly going to give this murderous bastard the joy of utter victory and deliver those who had believed in him to the hands of this monster? Was he truly going to allow Lenel the chance to lead one of the most powerful herds in nearby lands? Peak knew he alone held the knowledge of Lenel's plans and the authority needed for others to listen to him and giving up now would only mean that no one would stand against Lenel from now on. No, even if he would have to pay for his life with his honor and leadership, he still had a role to play in the coming Cold Times and for him to buy that role, he had to get away from this fight now.

With a wicked kick, Peak hit his opponent and quickly rolled to his side, spreading wings in a desperate attempt to flee. Lenel quickly grabbed his opponent's leg, trying to prevent his escape but with one, decisive hit to hi the pale flyer's head, Peak forced Lenel to let off of the limb. After noticing that he was free, Peak cried to Bluegust who had followed the fight all along.

"Bluegust! Go get Swiftbeak, Koria, Ortin and Highpond! We have to get out of here, now!" Peak knew that not even his guards would fight for him after his escape but with some luck, he and his family would be able to rebuild their position once Lenel's leadership would turn into a complete disaster. Peak knew that without him, his followers would lose soon enough and after that defeat, Lenel could have free hands to get rid of his family. He regretted having to ask his brother to get his children, Ortin and his aunt but Peak needed all his strength into getting away from here alive himself. His sickening bleeding and blindness made the flying a complete nightmare so he needed to concentrate all his efforts into saving himself.

Lenel looked in utter disappointment and outrage as he saw his foe taking off into the endless black skies. Despite their differing thoughts and motives, Lenel had always deemed Peak a trustworthy flyer who'd do anything to uphold his respect among his followers. Now he had thrown all that away with his escape but even now, Lenel wasn't about to let him live. He knew just as well what his own rival's escape would mean and with high hopes, flew after Peak with all his might.

Yet, he soon realized it was easier said than done. As Lenel straightened his back and prepared for the chase, his back quickly reminded him of his injuries. Immediately, the flyer crouched his body and only barely avoided another crash into the ground. As he had stabilized his fall, Lenel could already see Peak beginning to disappear into the blackness, realizing he'd never catch the escaping flyer in his current condition. For a moment, this realization paralyzed him completely, not willing to believe that even after all the bloodshed and struggles, he had let his opponent get away like this. After all that had happened, Peak should have paid for his deeds. To think he had failed this close to the victory…

It was at that moment that Lenel realized that he had still accomplished what he had come here to do. Peak had been dealt with and if Sireia had managed to do her part of today's attack, his plan would be a complete success! Lenel suddenly shot up again and headed towards the main battlefield, knowing this was the time to make his move. His flight was slow but with some effort, he could make it look somewhat authoritative and normal-looking. As Lenel saw the fighting flyers appear under him, he suddenly saw Sireia and Haste among the heavily-wounded but still surviving combatants. And that had to mean that Nira had been dealt with, making him shudder in excitement and relief. With as strong-looking movements as he simply could, Lenel moved downwards towards the ground and called to the fighters in a loud voice, knowing that he could still lose everything if he couldn't get Peak's herd to listen to him. At the very least, the fighting ended the moment Lenel opened his mouth.

"Halt the battle! We have lost far too many lives already because of Peak's disastrous decision! I'm here to announce that he and Nira are dealt with but I did only to restore things to what they should have been all along! I regret it greatly but it was those two who called today's attack upon us, only to break our glorious herd apart!" Lenel started, holding a brief pause before continuing. He glanced at his mate and Haste briefly and the two immediately returned that look, ensuring Lenel that all was well. Just before Lenel was about to continue, however, one of Peak's followers cried to him in white rage.

"Go to hell, Lenel! It was you who attacked us and the honored Peak! He would never betray us and all of us know it just as well!" He shouted, earning a chorus of approving voices. The situation began to grow dangerously tense again when Lenel answered to that accusation.

"It may be hard to believe but I doubt they told you what we really learned at our meeting earlier today! Well, let us allow another flyer who decided to take a stand against those who would betray us tell you the truth!" Lenel cried, nodding at Haste to come to his side. There were many from Nira's herd present as well and he knew that anything could still happen in this volatile situation. Haste flew graciously to his side, earning many unbelieving gasps from the gathered flyer. Some looked at the duo in disbelief, some with hope whereas the others were overcome with rage but still they allowed Haste to speak. Her voice was grave and even Lebel was surprised by the genuine tone in the female's voice.

"What happened today was a terrible tragedy. It is true that I and Sireia acted against my sister and I will regret that for as long as I live. However, I know many of you agree with me that Nira was growing weak and her decisions have hurt each of us more than once. But it was only today that she did what finally made me make my decision. They and Lenel never told it to you but it certainly was Peak's indecision that caused Nimble's downfall. Many flyers, including Kero, Nimble's old deputy, can confirm this beyond any doubts. Peak demanded the others to stay silent about it but he soon made things even worse.

At the meeting we learned that Peak certainly knew Nimble's killer before and he admitted his hesitancy to tell us about it. We couldn't help but accept the fact that there was most likely some kind of agreement between Peak and Nira about attacking us earlier." Haste spoke while Kero nodded at her words in the ground. The male had made the same agreement he had proposed to Nira with Sireia and right now, he knew he had made the best decision for Nimble's old herd. Many in the crowd looked beyond unbelieving as they considered Haste's words. She had never been one of the most liked or trusted flyers but many of Nira's former followers couldn't help but agree with her sentiments. Additionally, Nimble's deputy's agreement to the duo's words killed much of the starkest cries. Many of Peak's followers looked completely confused but still, some outrage still lingered within them. Lenel swallowed forcefully before continuing, more than impressed by Haste's words.

"That is right. There were times when Peak worked with us as he was supposed to but there were many times when I truly wondered whether he was really ready to see others as his equals. To those of you who believed in him, I know you think I'm lying and he decided to leave our herd because it was best for all of you. Well, he couldn't have been more wrong! We all know what happens to those herds too small to defend themselves! Each of you has lived a safer life among our herd and Peak sought to destroy it because of his personal feuds with Nimble and me! I faced Peak in a fight and he escaped like the coward he is! There are many among you who know I'm speaking truth!

Now, I cannot force you to disobey Peak's orders but he is gone after he ran away like the coward he is! Nira is dead because of her mistakes but her sister is more and ready to take her place and lead her herd towards a better future! Now, I ask those from Peak and Nira's herds, will you be willing to leave us and forge a future for yourselves or follow me to Streli's Hills and to continue your lives in peace?" He asked, knowing much was depending on this one question. If his offer was rejected by many of the flyers, Lenel knew his credibility would take a heavy blow. He kept a steady face as he prepared to face the inevitable backlash. An all-out challenge at him was highly unlikely, though, as there were few flyers with the position to even hope to challenge a leader of one of the great families. But to Lenel's chagrin, it took less than a second before the first voice cried out.

"We won't stay here for a moment, murderer! I and my family will be safer anywhere but under your leadership!" A female voice cried and she immediately rose to her wings and she and her children left the scene immediately. Other voice followed the first one, which only escalated the angered voices around the herd.

"I would follow Nira to the Great Beyond before bowing before you, Lenel! May the Night Circle curse you and your cursed lackeys!" He said and slowly but surely, Lenel saw a flyer after the flyer leave the scene. His heart dropped as he saw dozens of dinosaurs head towards the dark skies, utterly disappointed by how things turned out. After the last flyer had taken off, Lebel took a deep breath before looking at those who had decided to stay. All of his remaining followers were here and to his astonishment, the vast majority of Nira and Nimble's herds ha also decided to remain with him. However, Peak's group had already suffered greatly in the fight and there were roughly two dozen of them remaining from the herd that had numbered over a hundred only a few hours earlier. Yet, these were the flyers he'd have to do with. And in the end, even this was better than he had feared only a while ago. Many among these flyers most likely stayed here simply because they knew the alternatives were worse and there would even be ones who are staying only to claim their revenge against him. In any case, this night he was victorious and he knew it as he raised his voice and addressed his new, united herd again.

"From the bottom of my heart, I thank each of you for making the right decision! In due time, we'll make Deron and Peak pay for what they did but for now, we have to resume the journey we set ourselves on! We have to help the wounded but when the Bight Circle is highest on the sky, we will again head towards Streli's Hills!" Lenel smiled as he looked at the few cheers among the audience. He exchanged glances with Sireia who was equally relieved as he was. Yes, he would give this herd the safety they'd need but from now on, it was the time to truly begin fulfilling the quest, solving the secret of Olres' legendary deeds, he had set as his destiny.

* * *

 **And with one well-timed and daring plan, Lenel has assumed control over the whole herd. Once again, peace reigns among the flyers but how will this peace bought with blood hold? Also, his uncle's passing will undoubtedly change Petrie in more ways than one… Yes, I know I went a bit overboard with this chapter's length but maybe it will make up for the two-month wait since the last installment! I hope to get the next one done with a slightly more normal schedule. Let me know what you thought of this chapter and see you next time!**


	28. A Parent's Choice

**A Parent's Choice**

Longbeak=Liliensternus

The young fast runner's eyes widened as she saw the steep mountain rise before her. It seemed like one, massive rock sticking out of the never-ending plains, surrounded by a small ring of lower mounds. Even from here, she could some trails leading to the higher slopes of the central hill. In many ways, this sight reminded her of Hanging Rock but its surroundings broke that illusion. This range of mountains stood alone in the middle of endless plains and the mounds of white ground sparkles made that impression of loneliness even more profound. Yet, this was the new home of her family, the place she had heard her parents call the Desolate Rise.

Silence reigned over the small group as the shadow of the previous discussion still lingered over them greatly. However, none of them was more conflicted than Ruby who, despite her curiosity about this place, felt only overwhelming guilt for joining her family like this. Her father's reaction still hurt her deeply as not in her worst dreams had she dared to think her parents were actually sorry for her survival. Suddenly, the saddened gazes of Orchid and Arial and the confused gestures of the thinclaws seemed to become blaming and enraged ones which slowly drew Ruby's attention away from the slippery ground.

The group had just entered the hills surrounding the Rise when Ruby suddenly felt her right leg stepping over a sliver of hard water which made her fall towards the steep slope to a pass below the half teeth. The girl could already see herself falling to the depths but it was at the last possible moment that she managed to get a grip of a smaller rock which stopped her fall. Ruby panted in shock as she realized nobody could have helped her had she not have managed to stop her own slide. She was only starting to regain her breath when she heard Orchid's alarmed voice call to her.

"Ruby! Are you alright?" He cried as his sister slowly pulled herself up to the narrow path in the middle of two mighty cliffs reaching towards the white skies. She took a brief smile as she answered.

"I am, Orchid. Or at least I'm much better than if I fell because if I fell, I would not be alright at all. I just have to make sure I don't do that mistake again." She said with slight happiness at Orchid's genuine concern but it fell immediately as Pearl cast a deep frown towards Ruby. The younger female felt her heart drop again as she spoke to her.

"Please do that, Ruby. The Rise is an even more treacherous place than Hanging Rock ever was and I'd hate to see you being unable to learn from the past." She said, the implications clear for everyone. Ruby looked at her mother almost pleadingly even if she stuttered deeply as she attempted to speak.

"Mommy, I… I'm doing my…" She started but Pearl's sharp voice cut her short immediately.

"It isn't a long way anymore to our home but I have to ask you to wait for a while in the small opening this pass ends in. I have to have a long talk with your father and I'm sure it won't be something any of you want to hear." She said coldly, making Ruby cringe deeply. It was as if her mother had become ever more hostile during their walk which hardly raised her any more hopeful for her parents' conversation. Ruby glanced at her companions and each of them seemed just as concerned as she did. After a moment, Ruby nodded briefly to Pearl and spoke in a silent voice.

"I understand. I… I just hope daddy won't stay mad at me forever." Ruby crossed her arms and looked pleadingly at her mother's eyes. Pearl, however, crossed her arms as she answered.

"We'll see if there's anything we can do to make things better but eventually, it'll be up to you to do the hard part for all of us." The older female said, something in her tone making Ruby gulp audibly. She didn't like in the least what she heard but in the end, a new argument would solve nothing and it would make the situation only more toxic. She answered feebly as the rest of the group headed towards the central part of the Rise.

* * *

A deep sigh broke the absolute silence in the darkness of the deep cave. The halftooth's thoughts raced like a hundred fast runners escaping from a vicious herd of sharpteeth but to the aging dinosaur himself, it felt like his mind was completely frozen. Detras welcomed a cold breeze flying to the cave as he had always preferred the early Cold Time's winds against the burning heat that had so often reigned in the Hanging Rock. Yet, even his surroundings offered little comfort to the concerned father as he crossed his hands behind his back and headed towards the opening to his family's home.

The opening into the cave was located on a small plateau surrounded by a few higher hills but it still offered an impressive panorama of the surrounding lands even if it offered little relief to the fast runner right now. His eyes scoured the endless plains before finally locking his eyes on a wide, light blue spot far to the east. It was one of the largest lakes Detras had seen and it was the only break from the monotonous lands which surrounded his and his family's home. The lake had been a good spot to teach Orchid and Arial to catch scaly swimmers but the white ground sparkles would make the journey there too difficult during the Cold Times. The two were ever so happy to learn more from the world and from the ways of being a fast runner and their curiosity had been a source of great pride and joy to the aging male.

However, only thinking of his children made Detras' heart ache. During the past hour, he had fought hard to keep the sight of Dein and Terri tearing his two beautiful children to pieces as mere ghosts within his mind. Ruby was also within his thoughts but his feelings towards her were more complicated. Sooner or later, Dein and Terri would recover from their horrifying wounds and the fast runner knew without a doubt that next time they would return better prepared and probably accompanied by some of their allies. That time, there would be no salvation from their revenge and the two had proven that none of those whose scent they had caught could run from their wrath. And no matter how he hated that thought, he could blame only one dinosaur for his sickening thoughts.

 _Why did you have to do this to us, Ruby? I know you didn't do it on purpose but because of you, we are all in mortal danger! It… it would have been better for everyone if you had stayed with Chomper until…_

"You are standing on the place where you can most easily see the whole Rise but still you allowed me to escape from your gaze, dear. I'd expect more vigilance from my mate." Detras twitched noticeably as he turned around to see Pearl standing behind him, looking at him with a mixture of saddened amusement and slight anger. The male was taken aback by her silent approach and immediately damned himself for letting himself be surprised like this. If she had been a fast biter, his concerns would now be over once and for all. Detras soon relaxed and answered to his mate with a deep sigh.

"As you should, Pearl. I should have known better than to forget my surroundings like this. But where did you leave the others?" He said simply, able to see full well that his mate was about to open the obvious conversation. Both of them knew it would be far from pleasant but it was of vital importance to the survival of their family.

"I left the children and Ruby's friends a bit further away from here. Especially Orchid and Arial don't deserve to listen to your raging, Detras! Get a hold of yourself before you make things any worse for all of us!" Pearl said, more than annoyed by Detras' earlier antics. She could understand his concern and fear but she wouldn't allow them to poison her and the lives of her children lives any further. Thus far, the two had provided Ruby, Arial and Orchid with a good place to grow up and learn the ways of life and even if the oldest one had made the duo's job much harder, Pearl wasn't going to let things change now. At first, Detras was about to counter his mate's point and to defend his actions but soon enough, he had to admit she was right. Simply fighting in front of the young ones would help nothing and after a deep sigh, Detras answered.

"I know, my darling, I know. It's just that… Orchid and Arial deserve much better than this. Than… what Ruby turned their future into." The male gulped audibly and to Pearl's surprise, he seemed to be on the verge of tears. Of course, she knew just as well the danger Chomper's parents posed but they had been already fought away once. And it was very unlikely that Dein and Terri would show themselves again before the Cold Time had passed. Pearl took a few steps forward and put her hand on her mate's cheek and answered to him softly.

"Their future is safe for now, Detras. It will be many cycles of the Night Circle before anything bad can happen to us." She spoke, trying to get Detras to calm down. The danger hung over their family but the imminent attack had been thwarted. However, her words failed to calm Detras down who gently lowered his mate's arm from his face.

"But what then? What happens the day after the Bright Circle wipes away the only thing that protects us from those two? I know we won them today but that was only because Terri was already wounded and they weren't careful enough to avoid the hard water. The next time they come, they'll know better than to leave anything up for a chance. Pearl, we will have no way to escape from them on that day." A haunted look radiated from Detras' face and it troubled the female greatly. She knew Detras was right as no fast runner in his or her right mind would attempt to fight against a two-footer sharptooth even once. She looked towards the pass where her children were waiting and shook her head as she thought about the horrors that were waiting for them in the future. With a bare whisper, she answered to her mate and tried to find a way out of this nightmare.

"Then we have to get away from here before those two get a chance to recover! They'll never…" She began but Detras saw no reason to let her continue as he had already went through this possibility many times in his mind.

"We cannot do that, Pearl! Dein and Terri found Ruby and us with ease and they'll do so again! And even if we somehow managed to hide our scent, they probably have eyes and ears everywhere! We can never escape their gaze by running away!" Detras said despairingly, doing his best to find a way to save his family from certain death. Pearl felt her own fears rise in her mind as she looked at her desperate mate try to calm his own nerves. For a moment, she thought one comment from Ruby would be the answer but she soon voiced her disappointment.

"Ruby proposed we could call one sailback she meant on her journey to help us. You, too, may remember hearing about Stealth but even then, he'll offer little help against Dein and Terri. A sailback could never stop even one two-footer, let alone two!" She said as she slowly sat down on the cliff overlooking the distant lake, following the example set by her mate. Detras looked at the cliffs and caves he had thought would serve as his family's shelter for many more Cold Times but right now, even they seemed threatening to the aging omnivore. The seconds seemed to stretch on forever as the two mates shared their concern together like they also did in times of joy, relief or pride. However, that moment was soon broken as Detras slowly turned his head towards his mate and spoke silently, knowing his words would spark a huge wave of confusion and rebuke.

"Our only option is to make peace with Dein and Terri. They protected us all those seasons and even now, they are the only ones who can save us from certain death." He said, prompting Pearl to gaze at him in utter shock. Had she heard right? Did her mate actually propose the unthinkable? She was forced to believe she had heard wrong as even her mate would realize it was impossible.

"Are you out of your mind, Detras? No dinosaur, especially a sharptooth, would ever forgive another who has caused the death of their only child! You know it as well as I do! And it's unlikely that, they will forget the way we humiliated them today!" The female said, expecting to hear a sigh of surrender and some kind of agreement from her mate but what she heard instead made her whole body tense up and her mind grow shocked in outrage.

"We can most likely forget what happened earlier but as for the first part… there is a way." Pearl could see a single tear fall from Detras' left eye but it did little to calm down her reaction. Was her mate actually proposing what she thought he was? Was he completely insane? She wasn't about to murder her eldest child to appease some pair of bloodthirsty predators! A pleading tone could be heard in her voice but she wasn't able to keep her voice down as she responded to her mate.

"Please, tell me you don't mean it! This might all be Ruby's fault but she doesn't deserve to be sacrificed like this! I won't allow it!" She cried, knowing that settling disputes between families like this wasn't unheard of among sharpteeth and halfteeth but she had always shook such traditions off as nothing more than sick aberrations of a few dinosaurs' minds. To hear her beloved mate propose something like this was a complete abomination for her and she prayed deeply Detras would realize it too. However, the male looked at her in apology and then spoke to her just as firmly. He felt his heart being torn apart by his own words but there simply were no real alternatives he could see. He finally rose from his sitting position and asked his mate silently.

"Then will you allow her, Orchid and Arial all die in the claws of those two? I'd want to take any other way out of this situation if we simply had one. You have my word of it." He said, already swelling in the thoughts of what would happen if he'd have his way. Pearl stared at the male in complete disarray, not knowing what to answer. All their time together, Detras had been a reasonable fast runner and a good father and Pearl knew he wasn't saying what he was because he merely wanted to upset her. But even then, sacrificing one of her own children because of this… she had been extremely lucky not to have been forced to lose any of her offspring yet and she certainly wasn't willing to start now. And she couldn't believe her mate hadn't considered more options before suggesting such a monstrous thing.

"But there are, Detras, and you know it! Even if we aren't able to escape those bastards, they are still terribly injured right now. If we got rid of them now, none of us would have to die because of that duo's yearn for revenge!" Her words were a slight surprise for Detras as he hadn't fully considered that possibility. Yet, it didn't raise his hopes a lot as even badly injured, Chomper's parents were still extremely dangerous. He turned to look into the white distance as he gave his heavy-hearted answer.

"That may be, dear, but fighting against a two-footer would still be nearly a death sentence for any fast runner. We must certainly take that chance if we get it but if we don't… making peace with them must be our goal at any cost. Do you understand, Pearl?" He asked unusually directly, willing to hear that he and his mate were in agreement. His mate looked the male in his eyes, trying to find something to answer to his words. Solving disagreements between families was something she had heard of during her childhood and it had terrified her back then but in the end, she had also learned that survival of at least some of her children was her charge as a mother. Many fast runners wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice one of their own in the name of the common good. It was one of the ways of life she knew existed but it was one she had wanted to avoid. Tears suddenly appeared to her eyes as she suddenly moved to embrace her mate and stuttered to him, her voice completely broken with sorrow.

"Then we must give our all to killing the sharpteeth before they can recover! Because if that doesn't succeed, I can't… I can't bear to think of it… poor Ruby…" She sobbed as Detras put his hand at her back and took a deep sigh. How he hoped that option was an easy one but he knew full well that few half teeth had ever stood against a two-footer and lived to tell about it. Even worse, there was another thing his mate had overlooked. She let her panting wear off for a while before answering to her softly.

"Neither can I, Pearl. Neither can I. But the Circle of Life must live on even after we have joined our parents in the Great Beyond. And because of that, I'll go face Dein and Terri alone." He said, earning another unbelieving twitch from his mate who then broke the embrace. Pearl looked at her with still-teary eyes and snapped at him, her voice revealing nothing but deepening confusion.

"How can you even suggest that? Of course I'll come to ensure that Ruby will live a long and happy life!" She said, not able to comprehend how her mate would tell her to stay here. Detras took a more serious look which implied that his more emotional wave had passed. From now on, he'd do what he had to, for better or worse.

"We cannot leave the children to defend the Rise in case those cursed longbeaks return or we could find that we've lost our home once we return. You will need to keep the children safe until I return." He said simply, making Pearl want to start an argument but no matter what, she couldn't find a way how she could prove her mate wrong. The longbeaks had been a real nuisance for a long time and it wasn't unlikely that they'd make their next move soon enough. Immediately, the long scar in her left cheek started to ache as she remembered her last encounter with them. It had been a few weeks ago when she and her mate had tried to drive them out from the nearby lands for good but things had gotten more dangerous than the fast runners had expected. Pearl would have wanted nothing more than to accompany her mate on his quest to find Chomper's parents but she knew that she had to stay here. It had been Detras who had forged the alliance with the sharpteeth and they would listen to him more easily than his mate. After a while, Pearl nodded to the male and spoke silently.

"Very well. I'll keep them safe but please, promise me that you'll do your all to save our daughter. Promise me this, Detras." She said pleadingly, causing Detras' eyes to drop slightly as he knew that it would be far from easy at this point. Yet, he loved Ruby without an end and he would make sure to give his all to either kill the injured predators or try to rebuild his family's alliance with the predators without being forced to sacrifice Ruby for that cause. He knew it was unlikely but he wouldn't allow his weakness to become his eldest child's end.

"Of course I promise that much, dear. I'll try to return within two days as Dein and Terri most likely haven't had the time to get too far yet. Let us pray that I'll return with good news." He said, mentally preparing for the fateful meeting with the sharpteeth as he knew it would be one of the most difficult moments in his whole life. Deep heartbreak could be seen from Pearl's face but she knew this was the best option for the fast runner family as a whole. She cocked her head slightly as she prepared to address her mate again.

"I'll pray for you the whole time you're gone. But before you go, your antics hurt Ruby badly. We should go…" Pearl began as she suddenly felt the ground under her beginning to crumble slightly. At first, she thought an earthshake was about to begin but then she realized that voice was actually coming from the fast runners' home cave. It didn't take long before she realized what was happening and quickly, she spoke to Detras.

"Come! if those cursed longbeaks are at it again…" She started but decided against finishing her sentence. Detras didn't hesitate a minute following her as it wasn't the first time his family's secret tunnels would be under attack from their competitors in this harsh, cold land.

* * *

Greentail walked around the narrow pass, her mind doing its best to try to calm down after the long journey. She was slowly getting used to her limited sight and slow limping but it did little to change the fact that her hopes of any meaningful recovery had finally been crushed. She was able to tell hers hadn't been the first head injury Pearl had seen and that made it even harder for the girl to accept this would be her lot in life. The fact that the sharpteeth who had done this to her had also been terribly injured brought her slight solace but in the end, that knowledge did little to improve her situation. Moreover, being forced to wait in this pass for minutes on end did little to ease her mental torment. Even the earlier friendly banter with Ruby's siblings had stopped the moment Ruby's father had begun his verbal assault against Ruby.

The thought of the fast runner reminded Greentail of another issue. She and Yarel had now helped Ruby find her family and in the end, all the two had to show for it was a head injury and a temporary refuge virtually devoid of any food. In this moment, Greentail cursed the day she had decided to leave her former home forest even if she remembered nothing of it herself. Yarel followed his sister's steps in worry, full well knowing what thoughts most likely circled in her mind. He was deeply disappointed in the outcome of this journey himself. He was happy that he and his sister had at least some shelter for a few days but it was obvious neither he nor Greentail could stay here longer than a few days. Yet, maybe there could still be some help to be received from the fast runners. He soon addressed his sibling and tried to give at least a forced smile.

"It's alright, Greentail. We've made it this far and if Ruby's family can live out here, so can we." He said, hoping to calm his sister down instead of making her again mourn her own fate. Yet, he was happy to see that she was beginning to act a tiny bit more like herself instead of the incapacitated wreck she was earlier, whether she realized it herself or not. Even if she wouldn't be of much use in finding food any time soon, it would help just to have the old her by his side again. The female thinclaw, however, wasn't as confident about their situation as her brother.

"Even I could see there is no more green food anywhere and living by ground fuzzies and dead dinosaurs will be extremely hard, especially for me. But now that we are here, we don't really have much choice. We could never make it back to our home before the arrival of spring. It's simply too difficult to walk in the ground sparkles for long." Greentail said, while kicking a pile of the sparkles to emphasize her point. However, it was at this point a new voice joined the conversation.

"There are many places around here where there should be some green food left, Greentail! Mommy and daddy showed us a lot of places around here but why can't you just stay here, with us?" The rather high-pitched voice of Arial spoke, more than eager to speak of anything else than her sister's situation. Ruby, however, decided to answer before the thinclaws could, chuckling slightly as she spoke.

"They most likely will for a while but they can't stay forever, forever they can't stay. It simply isn't how our kind does things. But I'm sure you're welcome to live with us for a while." Ruby said at the two siblings, earning a slight frown from Yarel. He had expected this much but he already knew that neither he or his sister wanted to live as a burden for Ruby's family in a harsh time like this. Yarel looked at Arial with some amusement and his voice was equally friendly as he gave his answer to both fast runners.

"Your sister is right. We are used to living on our own and we have learned a lot during our journey here. If we simply can, we'll likely be on our way in a few days but until the Cold Time comes to an end, we won't be going too far. You never know when Ruby needs our help with something again." He smirked slightly, trying to lighten the situation to some degree. He still regretted the way the fast runner had acted during their journey but there was simply no reason to hold that against her anymore. What was done was done and in the end, Ruby had kept her word. He and Greentail had known the risks of following her but in the end, both of them were still alive. That was what mattered the most. Ruby frowned playfully as she answered to Yarel's words.

"Hey, I didn't need saving so often! I was about to get even only a few times!" She said with fake chagrin, earning a slightly concerned but simultaneously amused look from Arial. However, it was at this moment that they heard another voice call further from the distance.

"Ruby, Orchid, Arial, Yarel and Greentail! You may now come out from there!" Ruby twitched with shock as she heard her mother's call. She had feared meeting her parents again after Pearl had left to speak with her mate as Ruby knew it was unlikely that it would be any more pleasant than the previous one. At the very best, she could hope for them to forgive her in the coming weeks. Her face immediately fell as she turned around and headed for the inevitable conversation with her parents.

* * *

A terrible pain crept to Detras' chest as she saw Ruby walk towards the small opening between the hills surrounding the Desolate Rise, standing just under the majestic mountain containing the fast runners' home. His discussion with his mate had been sickening enough but facing his daughter he had been so willing to sacrifice for the good of the family was even worse than he had expected. He could feel a similar but even stronger sentiment within his mate but there was no turning back now. He would do what he had to with Dein and Terri but this reunion with his daughter only made him feel more miserable than nearly any time before in his life which hadn't been exactly easy either. Especially as he had to lie to Ruby this whole meeting if he wanted to keep the cover for his upcoming journey up. He out his hands on his hips and took a partially genuine look of anger on his face as he was still more than bitter to Ruby for putting their family to this situation in the first place.

"Ruby, I'm… I'm sorry about the way I acted earlier but you have to understand what kind of curse you have brought upon us. Chomper's parents won't forgive this easily." He said, the anger still apparent in his voice. Pearl did her best to look as natural as possible even if her gestures revealed her inner anxiety. Ruby, on the other hand, felt too miserable to pay her mother much heed right now. She only crossed her arms and looked at the ground with eyes filled with utter sadness.

"I know, daddy. I wanted to warn you but in the end, it was clear all along I would only bring the trouble to you and if I only brought you trouble, maybe I shouldn't have come here after all." She said, partially knowing she was right. She was more than happy to see Orchid and Arial again but those feelings of happiness were largely overshadowed by the girl's guilt. Detras, on the other hand, didn't want to prolong this crushing moment any longer as he wanted to get over this as soon as possible. He quickly bowed towards Ruby and put his hand on her shoulder and spoke to her silently, hating himself as he did it.

"Don't say that, Ruby. We have missed you greatly and we are more than thankful you came for us. But as long as Chomper's parents threaten us, none of us can feel truly safe. That's why I'll go after them to see how we can best defend ourselves when they return next time." The older fast runner said, hoping Ruby wouldn't realize his lie. She wasn't stupid and it was clear that there was very little he could actually do against the sharpteeth except perhaps find out their condition. Ruby's eyes widened as she heard about her father's plans, not expecting her parents to act this quickly but… it made sense that this threat had to be dealt with quickly. She was too mentally burdened, however, to question her father's motives right now.

"You will? But… but what if they see you first? Even now, they are far too dangerous for a single fast runner to face. And won't mommy come with you?" She asked in confusion, not expecting these kinds of news right now. The girl looked with some unease as her mother cleared her throat as she attempted to hide her own horror at the situation.

"You should know your father is more than capable of hiding his presence when he wants to. He'll be just fine. As for why I'm not going with him, there is another issue we will need to deal with. Something that just reminded us of itself." Pearl said, breathing deeply to keep her voice natural. She was more than grateful that she could turn the subject to an easier one as this another issue was something which was not a lie at all. Ruby, cocked her head deeply, noticing that Orchid and Arial were whispering to each other something which brought her some bother. Yet, none of them seemed nearly as concerned as they did with Chomper's parents. Her voice was a highly wondering and curious one as she asked the obvious question.

"And what is that, mommy? What's the problem?" She asked but the answer didn't come from the dinosaur she had expected. Instead, it came from Orchid who looked at his mother with some frown.

"It's those longbeaks again, aren't they mommy? Didn't they get enough last time when daddy beat them up?" He asked with a slight smirk, remembering that day two weeks ago. He chuckled slightly as he remembered that fight's ending but his laugh was soon ended by a stern look from his father.

"That wasn't funny, Orchid! Your mother was badly hurt! I only did what I had to prevent them from wounding her further!" He snapped back, making Orchid's face fall slightly. Ruby looked at the older male questioningly and was just about to ask what he meant until she realized the scar in Pearl's cheek. She was surprised she hadn't noticed it before as it was still red and the area around it was still featherless. She cringed slightly as she spoke.

"What happened? What did the longbeaks do?" Ruby asked, her knowledge of their kind highly limited. She knew they were some kind of rather large sharpteeth but in terms of speed and agility they were no match for the fast runners. But it was rather worrying if their kind really was stalking her family around here. Pearl's eyes took a faraway look to them even if she didn't feel like telling the whole story right would be necessary. Instead, she gave a simple answer that would hopefully give her daughter a basic idea of what was happening.

"The longbeaks appeared here a about a month ago and ever since then they have tried to fight us for food and a few times, they have succeeded. We tried to make an agreement with them a few weeks ago but it didn't… go too well." She said while lowering her hand from her cheek. She was about to continue before Yarel took a step forward and asked with slight confusion.

"But… we shouldn't be able to face a longbeak and live to tell about it! They're much bigger than we are and they're sharpteeth!" He said, earning a slight nod from Detras. The latter took a brief moment before answering and when he did, his voice was still tense but his anger was slowly wearing off.

"You're right and normally, we would have had to flee before them but out here, we have one thing our favor we usually don't have. And they are the tunnels penetrating this whole plain." Detras began, allowing his mate to continue from his remark.

"We use them to get close to them and then attack them briefly and then retreat back underground. They aren't too smart and they've never been able to find their way through that maze of tunnels. That has been the only way we have been able to keep them at bay. However, they have since started to destroy those tunnels by beating the walls of the frailest of them until they finally come crushing down. We just heard another of them collapsing which alerted us a short while ago." Pearl finished, earning a slight frown from Yarel whose mind returned to the tunnel he and Ruby had left Greentail in during their fight with Ruby's parents. It would have been unlikely that it had been the only one in this plain so these news made a lot of sense. His thoughts, however, were cut short by Ruby's answer to her mother's words.

"Then we have to get rid of them soon enough! It must be bad enough to find food out here without being forced to fight for it with some longbeaks!" She said, not giving yet much thought to the question why her parents hadn't done so before. Detras snorted briefly before answering to that comment, his answer as dry as could be expected.

"Believe me, Ruby, when I say that we've tried that more than once already. Those longbeaks may be stupid but they are also very persistent and neither do they seem to have other place to go. It's unlikely that we could fight or scare them away but Pearl will stay here to make sure they won't get the upper hand either. Yet, we have to make a move against them soon before they think we've given up completely." He said, knowing that territorial disputes like these could take a long time to solve but right now, they were largely swept away from his mind by his upcoming search for the two sharpteeth. He looked with weary eyes as Arial spoke with an expectant voice.

"And when they and Chomper's parents are gone, everything will be well here! I can't wait for it!" She said, causing Detras to simultaneously cringe and smile inside. On one hand, he was happy that his younger daughter could still see things in that optimistic light but if he and Pearl couldn't fulfill those expectations, there would be even more heartbreak on the way. Pearl tried to smile at Arial too but those efforts were still doomed to fail despite her best efforts. Still, her voice was largely normal as she answered to Arial.

"Neither can I, Arial. But that won't be happening today. I'd say we've had enough fighting and danger for one day, don't you think?" She said, more than ready to rest a while after the already horrifying fight against Dein and Terri. None of the younger halfteeth seemed to mind her words but to Detras, they were an implication he should get on his way soon enough. After all, the more time he wasted here, the colder the predators' trail would become. He cleared his throat before again addressing his daughter, still feeling sick by his dishonesty in this conversation. Yet, he had to complete his act or risk raising any unnecessary doubts within Ruby.

"I hope to be back before the Bright Circle rises to the sky on the day after tomorrow. For your sake, Ruby, I hope I'll find some way to prepare us for Dein and Terri's next move." He said, his earlier annoyance returning to his voice. Ruby's face once again darkened as she saw her father's angered face but she knew she deserved it completely. Her voice was but a whisper as she answered.

"So do I. But whatever you do, daddy, please stay safe." Ruby decided against adding anything more to her remark, knowing that Detras hardly was going to embark on a journey like this without a real plan. The older fast runner felt himself even more miserable than before after hearing his daughter's heartfelt words and he could only barely hold back his emotions. He took a brief moment before answering and when he did, his earlier tone was replaced by an unsure, even guilty voice.

"I'll do my best, Ruby. Everyone, I'll return as soon as I can. Take care until then." He said as he waited for the inevitable farewells. He didn't have to wait them for long.

"See you soon, daddy!

"Make sure those sharpteeth won't haunt us again anytime soon!"

Arial and Orchid cried, finally prompting the older male to turn around and begin his quest. Ruby looked at him in deep worry, knowing the risks associated with a journey like that but she knew she could only hope the best for him. She even considered asking to join him but she knew she'd only slow him down as she knew she was nowhere near as good at hiding or scouting as her father was. Still, she felt more than guilty as she knew full well none of this would have happened if it weren't for her mistakes. However, this short moment of silence was soon ended by Pearl who decided that it was time to end this conversation.

"We are all grateful to your father for doing this, Ruby. It won't be easy but if anyone can succeed today, it's him. But I'm hardly mistaken if I say you and your companions will want to rest a while after your journey, Ruby." She said, willing to allow things to settle down at least somewhat before her mate's return. Because that could be the most disastrous day in the whole family's history and Ruby deserved at least some time to calm down before then. The younger fast runner glanced at Yarel and Greentail and only now realized herself the toll forcing her way through the ground sparkles had taken for her.

"You're right, mommy. We started our journey today right after the dawn so a small time to rest would be a good idea now." She said, earning an understanding look for Pearl. She spoke one last time to her daughter before taking off.

"I thought so, Ruby. Our nest is on a cave up there. I'll go investigate the damage the longbeaks caused to the caves before I'll join you children but I promise I'll stay safe out there. See you all later." She said as she turned around rather quickly, earning a slightly surprised look from Ruby. However, she was more than ready to have a moment of peace and to explore her new home.

* * *

A small smile crept to her face as Ruby left another of the paths leading to the central plain of the Desolate Rise. She could see why her parents had chosen a place like this as their new home as it was extremely safe from most enemies due to the narrow passes leading to the omnivores' nest but it also resembled Hanging Rock in many ways. If the situation had been any easier, she could have felt home out here already. However, her eyes got a curious look as she looked at the mountain in the middle of the range of sloping hills, willing to finally see whether her family's nest was anything like their old one.

She cringed slightly as she stepped on the small ramp leading higher to the hill, remembering her earlier slip and near-fall into the deep pass. The drop would soon become a deadly one which made climbing the path a bit worrisome for the young girl. Yet, she trusted in herself enough to swallow those fears and to simply head forward. It didn't take long before the path joined the summit of the mountain, surrounded only by a few lower hills here and there. And in one of them, Ruby could see an opening into the cave which could be nothing else but the entrance to her new home. She was just about to go see it when her eyes caught something which stopped her immediately. At first, she thought she was mistaken but soon enough she realized that she could still see her father in the distance, apparently trying to locate the trail of the sharpteeth.

Ruby sighed as she saw him, the older dinosaur's actions proving how much she had hurt her family by coming here. Right now, she would have wanted to simply sink into the rock and to swipe away herself and her actions and with them, the threat she had brought here with her. Not even realizing it herself, she sat down on the cliff overlooking the plains just like his father had done earlier. She buried her head in her hands while trying to find at least some comfort in this brief moment of silence. For the first time since her departure from the Valley, she felt slightly as ease as now there were no sharpteeth threatening her nor was she under pressure to continue any journey.

Sure, that was only one side of the fast runner's mind. Despite the slight reprieve from dangers, she would have to face the longbeaks tomorrow and the next showdown with Chomper's parents hung above the Desolate Rise. Ruby's eyes drifted dreamily through the white landscape, exploring the hills and gorges that could be seen here and there. The surrounding lands felt even more monotonic over here and it did in the morning but at least the sky stars had stopped falling. Even if it was unlikely they'd melt away before the spring, it would take at least more time until walking through these lands would become too challenging.

But she couldn't simply bury her fears under the sleeping landscape as the implications of her return manifested themselves in the back of her mind. Even from now on, she'd do her all to defend her family from the furious sharpteeth but even with her and her father's efforts, would it be enough? The fast runner would do all in her might to undo her mistakes but she knew there were some things she couldn't make right no matter what: hopefully there wouldn't come any more of those. As for her friends, Ruby cringed as she thought about their situation. They would live here for a while but it wasn't usual for strangers to live with another halftooth family for long. Would they find their place in these lands or had she led them a dead end, with one of them irrevocably maimed? Most likely that was another thing that would come to haunt her in the…

"You can't stay the whole evening here, Ruby. We noticed you're thinking too much bad things today." Ruby twitched noticeably as she heard the voice and immediately she turned to look at the newcomer. Her eyes immediately met those of Arial's who looked at her in a mixture of concern and expectant smile. Ruby saw Orchid by her side and she tried to give them an approving smile but it fell far short of what she had tried. She then looked at her siblings wearily as she spoke.

"I'm sorry for that, Arial, but things are a complete mess, a complete mess they are. I was just trying to clear my thoughts here." She sighed, knowing she was far from pleasant company right now, especially to her young siblings she hadn't met in many Cold Times. She turned her gaze back to the distance as she heard Orchid's voice speak to her.

"Out here, completely alone? That isn't what you used to do before." He said, remembering the days when Ruby had shared nearly all her concerns and joys with her siblings. She had never been one to spend time alone back then. Ruby's eyes widened slightly as she realized that detail herself. Her times away from her family had changed her in more ways than she'd realized and it was more than logical that her siblings would realize it before Ruby herself. The older fast runner looked at the boy, her eyes half closed.

"Now that I think of it, you're right. I guess that's because when I first arrived into the Valley, I had a really hard time fit in despite Chomper introducing me to his friends who welcomed me without second thoughts. I guess I was just too different from them in the beginning and many others in the Valley never saw me as one of them, something I learned later. After those long and stressful days I often went to sit alone on a hill much like this one to try to find the good things that had happened on those days. After a while I noticed they helped me a lot so I figured they'd help me here as well." A slight smile rose to Ruby's mind as she spoke. Speaking of her friends still hurt her but the overwhelming, crushing pain associated with those memories were slowly drifting away. The younger omnivores looked at their sister in slight sympathy, not fully understanding what she had gone through in the Valley but her answer confirmed not all had been well even before Ruby's journey back to her family. Orchid crossed his arms briefly before glancing at the opening below him where he could see his mother finally returning from her investigations. After that, he answered to Ruby again.

"Those days must have been real difficult to get through but… maybe there are other things that could help you have some fun after all that's happened." The male fast runner said, prompting an asking look from Ruby. If she was paying the situation any more thought, she would have told what Orchid meant but now, she only stared into nothingness and asked absentmindedly.

"And what is that, Orchid?" She said in a voice that fully revealed her lack of interest in his words but the younger fast runners didn't let that dampen their excitement any.

"Aww, you know what we mean, Ruby! Hide and Seek has never been the same without you!" Arial said in a high-pitched and happy voice which widened her sister's eyes immediately. Of course that's what the two were after but even then, she was far from the right mood for playing anything. She turned slowly to face Arial and spoke to her softly.

"Thank you for asking me but I have too many things in mind and if I have too many things in my mind, I can't play very well." She said but the two younger omnivores weren't about to give up that easily as they had never expected Ruby to agree immediately due to her apparent fatigue. However, neither of the younger dinosaurs wanted to see their long-lost sister like this. The three had enjoyed so many good times together and Orchid and Arial knew this would cheer Ruby up at least to some degree. Orchid stepped forward and gazed at the older fast runner with a pleading look.

"But maybe if you tried it, you would feel much better! The Rise has far better hiding places than the Hanging Rock ever did! I'm sure you'll like it!" He said, prompting a slight frown from Ruby who was just about to rebuke her brother's comment when Arial continued from where the boy had stopped.

"We saw how badly mommy and daddy treated you earlier but we've missed you for a long time, Ruby. We want our first day together end better than this."

"Please, Ruby?!"

Orchid joined his sister's plea which immediately earned a brief look of displeasure from Ruby but when she saw the sad smiles on her siblings' faces, her annoyance disappeared immediately. She could see that the duo truly meant what they were saying which warmed the older omnivore even more than she had expected. Their pleading and loving faces forced Ruby to return a deeper smile than anytime before on this day. She took a sigh and she clearly hesitated for a few seconds but soon enough, she gave her answer.

"Arial, Orchid… you know I cannot say no to those faces. But remember that it'll be only be a few rounds, okay?" She said while putting her hands upon her siblings' crests and brushing them slightly. Ruby's heart swelled as she saw her siblings' faces brighten up in a second as they realized they had been successful. Both of them swept Ruby's hands away as they started to head towards the ramp leading into the plain below the mountain.

"You're the best, Ruby! We knew we could count on you! Come on, we promise we won't make it too hard for you in the beginning!" Orchid cried while running the narrow path down with a speed that made Ruby cringe slightly. She followed the two with a much slower pace which made the two look at her with some puzzlement. However, she soon learned the solid spots on the path and she didn't even lose that much to her siblings in the end. Arial chuckled slightly at Ruby's carefulness before speaking to her again.

"We usually start here. The best places to hide are the caves and the many cliffs on the passes leading here but for now, we promise to stay near this opening. We know you don't know the Rise very well yet so you're it first. But don't worry, we'll make it easy for you today!" She said while Orchid finished her instructions.

"You know the rest but make sure you won't cheat! You always had a bad habit for it!" He said with a smirk which earned an amused smile from Ruby who poked the boy in his chest playfully.

"Says the king of all cheaters! I always had a hard time believing in the Valley that they played fair and square after my experiences with you, Orchid!" She said which earned a look of mock chagrin from Orchid. It warmed all three of them to know that despite the three Cold Times that had passed, the siblings themselves had still remained largely the same. Ruby turned to look at the nearby rock of wall to show she was ready to begin.

"Well then, be on your way you little pests! I'll show you I don't even need to know this place to outsmart you two!" She said while hearing the two younger fast runners to force their way through the ground sparkles, wondering how the two planned to hide their tracks. Otherwise, finding them would be far too easy. Ruby kept her curiosity bay and counted all the way to the hundred before finally turning around, more than ready to let the thrill of the search override at least some of her most morbid thoughts.

She frowned somewhat as she could easily see her siblings' tracks in the ground sparkles but a bit further from her they seemed to grow less profound. Apparently the two had headed towards an area where there was a thinner layer of the sparkles and thus it would be easier for them to find some place to hide. Yet, even these footsteps told Ruby the area where her siblings had most likely hidden themselves. It was a rather small and sheltered part of the central part of the Rise, overlooked by the high hills steeper than in other parts of the small range of lonely hills. There were small cracks everywhere in the hills and it didn't seem to be too difficult to climb them even for her siblings.

That realization alongside the sight of a long-dead pile of dried grass immediately raised some old memories within Ruby's mind. Suddenly she remembered Orchid and Arial's most usual spots in the Hanging Rock and noticed how similar spots she could see around herself. Arial had often went to hiding in some of the most verdant of bushes as she knew she could quite easily slip from the seeker's gaze if she was nimble enough. An expectant smile rose to Ruby's mind as she walked towards the large group of dead bushes, more than eager to see if her guess had been the correct one. The leaves had fallen off long since from the bushes but their mere size prevented anyone from seeing what lurked within them. It didn't take long until Ruby saw a familiar hue of pink flash among the vegetation. Before Arial got any new ideas, Ruby called after her with slight chuckles.

"I saw you already, Arial. It was fair that you decided to use the same kinds of shelters you always did. I guess Orchid has climbed to some of the hills around us, then?" She asked, remembering well how Orchid had often climbed to the most difficult of cliffs which bordered on being outright dangerous. However, she hoped he had received some more sense during her time in the Valley. Ruby looked triumphantly as Arial crawled to her sight in slight chagrin.

"You were even faster than we thought! Maybe we made it too easy for you after all, Ruby!" She said, trying to put her disappointment behind her. Ruby started to already scour the hills surrounding her, quickly spotting one path upwards which seemed rather promising. The older fast runner grinned at Arial before taking off.

"It was nicely done, Arial, but next time you may already do your best. It shouldn't take long to find your brother if he took a similar spot you did…" Ruby said as she headed towards the path leading to one of the hills surrounding the center of the Desolate Rise. An expectant smile rose to her mind a she remembered one of Orchid's worst faults in this game: his nerves. He would often reveal himself if the seeker got too close simply by trying to desperately flee further. Ruby stopped for a moment as she reached the small hilltop overlooking the surrounding plains. It was barely a third of a longneck's full height over Arial's hiding place but it was very easy to climb to, prompting Ruby t be sure that Orchid was somewhere around here.

Suddenly, the fast runner stopped to investigate the rather narrow area around her. There were a few cracks in the higher cliffs around her, making them more than sound places to hide. Ruby stood completely silent, trying to hear any hints but to her slight disappointment, she heard nothing but her own breath and the weak whistle of the Cold Time's breeze. Slowly, she walked towards one of the crevices but there was nothing to be seen there. Only a few hues of twilight hung in the dark air and there was no trace of her brother. Ruby frowned somewhat and then walked towards the next crack. This one was larger and it had several massive boulders, some of which leaned towards each other. Yes, this was the ideal place to hide…

Ruby advanced very slowly, not even allowing her own footsteps to disturb the perfect silence. Avoiding the stones in the darkness was far from easy but by no means impossible. She stopped once in a while to allow her eyes get used to the lack of light in the hill's narrow crevice. Just as she was reaching halfway to the looking wall, she could suddenly hear the slightest sound of the ground sparkles moving aside under somebody's foot. She immediately narrowed her eyes and moved towards the direction of the sound which had come from behind a boulder twice her own height. She increased her speed and as she did so, she could hear the other dinosaur's footsteps again and in that moment, she knew she had caught her younger brother. In order to tease him a bit further, Ruby decided not to voice that she had found him but allowed Orchid to trip himself on a stone in the ground as he tried to escape from his sister's gaze. However, he knew it was all over the moment he saw Ruby appear above him, her hands on her hops as she spoke.

"Well, well, if it isn't my dearest brother. I guess this was an improvement from some of the places you found back at the Hanging Rock." She said while offering her hand to help Orchid back on his feet. The boy, to Ruby's surprise, didn't seem disappointed in the least as he seemed pretty excited by Ruby's good memory of their old games together.

"This was nothing, Ruby, and you'll see it wouldn't be that easy the next time! Uhh, if you want to have another round, that is." He asked, suddenly remembering his sister's earlier misgivings. Ruby looked surprised for a short while before answering the boy.

"Why, sure I want, Orchid. This is much better than simply dwelling in my own fears. There will be enough time for that anyway." She said, forcing the fearful thoughts from her mind as she spoke. She could see Orchid's eyes widening with joy as he waved to his sister.

"Well, let's go then! Arial must be waiting already. It's great to have you back here, Ruby." Orchid said almost under his breath which prompted Ruby to twitch slightly. She couldn't completely agree with him yet but at least she was happy to be able to spend time with her siblings yet. For now, that was all that mattered.

"It is, Orchid. I've waited for this ever since I left the Valley." She said, her vague tone confusing Orchid slightly. Yet, the two fast runners headed back towards the opening spreading below them, ready to finish this momentous day with numerous games filled with happiness and joy.

* * *

The darkness seemed to attempt to swallow the sparkling white cover of the earth as the night began to fall upon the world. The day's death was accompanied by a rising wind which every now and then seemed to fight their way under the aging fast runner's plumage. Detras shuddered slightly as he looked at the plains around him, knowing that the weather would get even much colder than this which hardly raised his spirits but he wasn't about to let that hinder his most important of quests.

He frowned slightly as he realized that most traces of today's fight had been cleaned away by the day's winds. However, it would do little to slow him down as he still knew just where the small lake on which they had outsmarted Dein and Terri was located and that was where he'd pick up their trail. He panted slightly as he saw the frozen body of water appear from the endless shadows, the hard water glimmering magically under the brilliant star-filled sky. Even now, Detras couldn't completely ignore the majestic sight but he didn't waste a second heading towards the small pond.

 _Now, where did it happen? I guess it was about there and… aha! There it is!_

The fast runner thought as he wiped away a layer of the ground sparkles to reveal a massive splotch of Dein's blood, frozen into the hard water for the remainder of the Cold Time. The overwhelming smell of blood flowed into the fast runner's nose, the dinosaur smelling the sharptooth's presence as if he was with him right now. Detras smiled as he had just found the point from where to begin searching for the two sharpteeth but it would get more difficult from now on. The fast runners had an excellent sense of smell compared to most other dinosaurs but they weren't sharpteeth and they most often weren't supposed to follow their prey for a long time. Without drops of blood, the points where Detras could without mistake identify either of the sharpteeth would be far and between. He would have to use their resting and relieving spots as his guide but even then, the terribly injured sharpteeth could not be far and with any luck, he could finish them off without them knowing it. And if he couldn't…

A horrible cringe rose to Detras' mind as he tried to fight off the potential outcome of his quest out of his mind. He would do what he could but he was a father of three children and he'd do anything in his power to keep them safe. But he also had to think of the future and it was his duty for all members of his family that drove him forward. Detras took a deep sigh as he prepared to start his chase for his former allies. He put his hands on his knees as he panted slightly, raising his gaze towards the countless small lights of the cloudless night.

A brief glimmer of the stars' light flashed within Detras' eyes before he finally tensed his muscles in preparation for the rest of his chase. Suddenly he forced himself into a swift sprint and in a few seconds, he had disappeared into the all-penetrating night.

* * *

 **And so Detras has embarked on a quest which will not only decide the safety of his family, but the very survival of his own daughter. Trying to stand against the sharpteeth could well be his end but is the alternative something he's willing to go through? And will the fast runners be able to prevent further bloodshed with their coming standoff with the invading predators? Next, I'll write my last short story of the year as the GOF prompt challenge will go to a hiatus until January after that. As for this chapter, let me know what you think of it and see you next time!**

 **The Rhombus: I'm glad that you found the structure of the chapter successful as I knew that it could get a bit confusing due to all the stuff that was happening. There were a few scenes I thought of adding but that installment was already too long for that. As for Petrie, you're right that he decided to finally listen to "reason" in the worst possible time and that will undoubtedly haunt him in the future.**

 **I can't say I disagree with you about Pterano's death. I can easily see that the scene might not have been as good as the character deserved but I tried to do create a sense of utter shock for that scene but apparently it wasn't good enough. Personally I feared that this momentous scene would disappear under the other action but I hope to avoid such mistakes in the future. Yet, in the end, I'm happy you found the rest of this chapter successful as it was one of the most important ones thus far. Thanks for the review, as always!**


	29. Of Utter Loss and Yearning for Home

**Of Utter Loss and Yearning for Home**

Increasingly violent shivers were making their way into the young flyer's limbs as he lied in the rocky ground. The wind was rising again and it carried small amounts of the ground sparkles with it, covering the night sky with a slight but clear white curtain. However, none of it mattered to Petrie as the flyer stared towards the woods to his left, every part of his mind screaming in fear. For a time which felt like an eternity, screams of pain and creeping death could be heard there as the air was filled with flyers attempting to tear each other to pieces.

A sickened look rose to Petrie's face as he stared at the ongoing battle. Somewhere out there, his uncle was giving his all for some cause of which Petrie knew nothing about, the flyer completely at a loss of what was transpiring. Just when he had hoped he'd seen enough death for one day, the flyers with whom he had lived for a week now suddenly attacked each other for no apparent reason! Had the whole world gone completely mad? And worst of all, not even Pterano had told him what was going on, other than making the boy promise to stay here, no matter how distasteful it seemed for him. Petrie could only stare at the battle with empty eyes, repeating his wishes for his beloved uncle over and over again.

That senseless bloodbath seemed to go on forever and Petrie felt more lonely than he could remember in all his life. Here he was standing in the darkness, waiting for his uncle to return to him with no one else here to keep him company or encourage him. He could as well forget everything around himself and to simply cease to be, with no one around him even noticing. That thought, however, was still drowned by his fear but eventually, the thing Petrie had waited all night long had waited came to pass.

Ever so slowly, the screams seemed to grow fainter and the dark forms of the flyers landed back into the white ground. The battle was over and if there were so many survivors, certainly uncle Pterano had to be one of them! A dinosaur with his experience and wisdom would certainly be one of the winners of any stupid fight! He had to be on his way back here right now, Petrie thought to himself. Most likely, his form would appear against the flying ground sparkles any moment now.

However, many moments passed by and only the black sky, along with the lesser lights and the Night Circle loomed over the herd of flyers. The only thing that changed was that the momentary silence was interrupted by Lenel's distant voice which made Petrie frown somewhat. It had been the pale flyer's mate who had invited Pterano to this bloodbath and she would have to know what had happened to him. Petrie still cringed as he thought about leaving his sleeping place but in the end, the danger his uncle had warned about seemed to have passed finally. Petrie had listened to his request faithfully but now was his time to get answers.

Only when Petrie prepared to spread his wings did he realize that he had unconsciously crossed his arms on his chest to shield himself from the cold while shuddering terribly. The night was colder than he could remember in all his life but even the frigid wind didn't stop him from swallowing his fears and taking off into the sky. His eyes were fixed on Lenel's form who, along with a few other flyers, stood in front of the rest of the herd. The boy felt his heartbeat quicken terribly as he saw the terribly ruined bodies of fallen flyers here and there but he was slightly relieved when he couldn't see his uncle among the fallen below him. The flyer's stomach suddenly seemed to turn upside down as he saw the savagely gutted and mutilated corpses below him but he attempted to only pay attention to their faces. And no matter how much he looked around himself, his uncle's remains weren't here but where was he then? The older flyer wasn't among the gathered members of the herd either. Suddenly, Petrie's thoughts were interrupted as Lenel suddenly cried in a loud voice.

"In due time, we'll make Deron and Peak pay for what they did but for now, we have to resume the journey we set ourselves on! We have to help the wounded but when the Bight Circle is highest on the sky, we will again head towards Streli's Hills! Use the rest of the night as you see fit but keep the peace. We earned it with a heavy price." Lenel said as he turned around to speak something to his mate and the younger male Petrie didn't recognize. Many of the herd members seemed beyond confused or heartbroken but none of them seemed to question Lenel's words right now.

Petrie landed near the others in order not to raise suspicions but his eyes bored into Lenel keenly. This flyer knew about his uncle's whereabouts and in one way or another, he would find out what happened to Pterano. However, even Petrie realized how volatile the situation was and there was a chance the pale flyer wouldn't answer to his questions but considering his uncle's position in the herd, maybe some hints could be found by old-fashioned eavesdropping. As the other flyer started to disperse, Petrie again took off and used the confusion and his small size to disappear into the woods above the spot where Lenel and the others were standing. Even from where he was sitting, he could see a triumphant but sadness-filled look on Lenel's face. Petrie jumped to a lower branch as he saw Lenel turn to his followers and spoke to them appreciatingly.

"Thank our ancestors' name you were successful, Sireia. I don't know if I could have carried on without you. Also, well done Taria and Kero. I guarantee none of you will regret taking part in what happened tonight." He said silently and Petrie struggled to hear what the fresh leader of the herd was saying. To the young flyer's relief, Sireia answered in a more powerful voice.

"I couldn't have left you to see the coming weeks through by yourself, Lenel. Nira was a fierce opponent but even she was no match for me and Haste. Well done, my love. We made the correct choice, after all." Sireia said as Taria, Haste and Kero nodded at her remark. The latter cringed at the antics of his companions but he knew more than well that dying with Nira would have hardly advanced the cause of Nimble's former herd. He could think about his future later but right now, Lenel offered him his best chance to move forward. He spoke to his new leader in a seemingly uninterested but revering voice.

"You have my gratitude for bringing our internal struggles to an end, Lenel. For once, we can hope to live in peace but at what a cost? How many flyers did we lose because of Peak and Nira's pride?" Kero said as he narrowed his eyes, just looking at the scores of dead dinosaurs around him. This question made Petrie's heart skip a beat as this was it. It had been probable from the beginning this kind of question would be asked sooner or later and it would be near impossible for Lenel to overlook the possible loss of his deputy. Petrie, too, knew this but those thoughts were buried under the resuming shudders of his hands and the quickening of his breaths. The entire world seemed to freeze still as he waited for Lenel to open his mouth. The pale flyer looked at Kero with regretting eyes and he took a deep sigh as he answered.

"Far too many, my honored deputy. At least forty or even fifty, most of them from either my or Peak's former herds. Many great flyers were lost and worst of all, that coward Peak managed to escape! I swear he'll pay for this soon enough." Lenel said but his words did little to improve Petrie's mood. If the light-colored flyer didn't tell of his uncle to the others, he would have to ask him soon enough and hope…

"How about Pterano? Did… did he make it?" Taria asked as she realized that Lenel's other deputy was nowhere to be seen. Petrie suddenly felt as if a cold grip had suddenly turned his innards upside down. This was truly it. This answer would be the one which would decide so much for the young flyer and his future.

 _Please, say that uncle Pterano still alive! Petrie no know what me do if… if…_

The air around Petrie seemed suddenly frigid beyond words but the situation grew only worse when Lenel answered, his face a mask of regret and sorrow.

"He did not, Taria. Peak killed him in the most cowardly and disgusting of ways when we faced Bluegust in that forest. He… he is gone." Lenel said as he brought his hand to his face and shook it silently. However, everything that happened after that moment was lost to the lonely flyer above them. The boy's mind seemed to become petrified still as the realization started to slowly fight its way into his consciousness. It simply couldn't be! His uncle, who had done so much for him, couldn't be dead! Certainly Lenel was lying! There was no way that could be true! There just wasn't!

Before he even realized it himself, Petrie flew down from his branch, not even caring to hide his presence from the other flyers. For now, the only thing that mattered was to prove that Lenel was lying. Petrie flapped his wings furiously, tears starting to fall from his eyes as he started his search for his uncle, holding one last ray of hope that he might still find his uncle alive and well in this withered, dark forest.

* * *

However, the night didn't hold such terrifying surprises to everyone. Glide's breathing grew easier bit by bit as she reached the still-numerous group of flyers recovering from the fight. She, too, had been forced to follow the battle from the sidelines, fearing for the safety of her parents but there they were, discussing the recent events with a few other flyers, a fact that didn't sit well with the younger flyer. If they thought that informing her of their survival wasn't important, maybe showing she cared about them wasn't either. Glide suddenly turned to her right and spoke to her friend with whom she had shared this night's fears.

"Well, at least they made it, Brownbeak. But… why would anyone join a bloodbath like this? This… this is completely sick!" Glide said as she looked at the fallen, most of whom she had known at the very least by name. Most of them had been good flyers and herd members but here they were, slowly growing colder in this unhospitable, desolate land. Brownbeak moved from his friend's side to crouch and look at one of the dead closer, only to shake his hand.

"Blackclaw had taught me for many seasons on the more difficult wisdoms. I can't believe he's gone." He said as he raised to his full height, looking at his teacher with tearful eyes. Glide looked at him briefly, remembering how often Brownbeak had told her of Blackclaw and the ways the former had learned most of his most impressive tricks.

"I'm so sorry. He certainly sounded and seemed like a good flyer." That was all the comfort she could offer as she had never known the fallen flyer herself. Brownbeak stood still for a moment, looking at the older flyer's unseeing eyes without blinking even once. After a short while, he began to stutter with a wavering voice, trying to calm himself down.

"He certainly was, Glide. Our herd will never be the same without him and the others. And to think this was all because of Peak… I can't believe we followed him all this time." Brownbeak said with a clear tone of bitterness in his voice. He had heard Lenel's speech and the fact that both Nira's sister and Nimble's old deputy supported him had been enough for him to accept his new leader's explanation at what had happened. Glide couldn't really disagree with him and shortly, she began to think aloud, not meaning for the other flyer to hear her words.

"I'd just like to know if Ortin's alright. I hope he didn't have to get hurt because of Peak." She said, looking at the sky in slight worry. Brownbeak frowned at her words and turned to her almost unnecessarily aggressively.

"Didn't you hear what Lenel said? Peak escaped and it is more than likely he took all of his family with him! If he hadn't, at least some of them would have spoken against Lenel!" Brownbeak spoke, not feeling too much compassion against Ortin after all his family had done on this night. Glide, on the other hand, took a highly concerned look and rose to her wings, soon realizing that her friend was right. Ortin or any other member of his family was nowhere to be seen which could mean only one thing: her oldest friend was no longer a part of this herd.

* * *

Desperate sobs accompanied Petrie as he flew through the silent forest, feeling slight hope rise within him as he saw that there were far less corpses around here. Maybe, just maybe, Lenel was mistaken and Pterano had made it after all. The young flyer left no glade or cave unchecked as he tried to find his uncle on this most nightmarish of nights. Even giving up the search came to Petrie's mind… until he saw it.

In the middle of a small clearing surrounded by giant shadows of dead trees, Petrie saw a flash of the familiar hue of brown. Petrie almost felt his breath stopping as he turned towards that sad sight, soon realizing he had not been mistaken. Before him lay the unmoving form of his precious uncle who had symbolized unlimited wisdom, bitter betrayal and unselfish and limitless protection to the young flyer. Petrie stood still for a moment and as the long-denied emotion slowly started to overflow his mind, the flyer finally collapsed to his knees, starting to cry inconsolably.

"Please, get up uncle Pterano! Me know you can do it! Me cannot do this alone! Ohh, why this have to happen?" Only the dark ground met Petrie's gaze as his tears fell towards it, his eyes shortly rising back to Pterano. Petrie could see that his throat had been slashed open but it mattered little to him now. Of all flyers, his uncle had been the one who had deserved this the least! The times when Pterano had found him wandering the wastes, the way he had brought Petrie into the herd and how he had helped him through all the hardships… all those beautiful times were now only a memory. His mind dwelling in the past, Petrie moved to his uncle's side and hugged him for the last time, ignoring the countless wounds and the blood covering his body.

Pterano's shocked eyes seemed to bore into Petrie's mind and slowly, Petrie realized he was now completely alone. His only helper in the herd was gone and without him, Petrie knew there was little binding him to those cursed savages who would stop at nothing to just get each other killed! Without his uncle, even a life of loneliness would be preferable to living in this herd who had claimed the life of his uncle! The boy moved to his uncle's side, weeping horribly as he closed the older flyer's eyes and whispered to his ear weakly.

"Goodbye, uncle Pterano. Pe… Petrie hope you have a good flight where…. wherever you are! Th… thanks for doing everything you did for Petrie." He said as he forced his gaze away from the horrifying sight. He felt like every part of his body was getting crushed by the weight of this place and by his memories. He took one, last horrified look at his uncle before taking off from this episode in his life. He would fly to some place where he could try to rebuild his life and to at least attempt to find a way to return to the Valley. He owed it to his uncle to find a better life than what this nightmare offered him. In mere seconds, Petrie soared over the trees but he couldn't guess this would turn out to be a mistake.

The wind seemed to be in his favor and Petrie hoped that he'd be able to escape from the others soon enough. All coherent thoughts had long since left Petrie's mind and only a desperate plan to escape from his recent life and loss seemed to flicker in his mind. Even if he knew he was wrong, every second that passed seemed it seemed like he could escape further away from the recent tragedies. Petrie looked expectantly at the distant mountains, hoping he'd get some kind of hint about the Valley's whereabouts. With any luck, many of the Valley's residents had forgotten his part in the tragedy during the meeting on that day which seemed like it had happened so, so long ago, as if to a completely different flyer. Yet, those hopes were soon cut short as Petrie saw a larger flyer suddenly glide before him, effectively blocking off his escape path. The younger flyer twitched noticeably as the newcomer addressed him in a rough voice.

"Turn around now, kid! No one is to leave the herd while we still have to find out the depth of Peak's treachery!" The flyer said in a voice which brokered no disagreement but Petrie hardly listened to him. Everything but the memory of his uncle's dead face was wiped away from the boy's mind and he was in no way interested to speak with anyone right now. He quickly turned into a deep dive while giving the other flyer his answer.

"Me not care anymore! Just go away and leave Petrie at peace!" He spoke, earning a deep frown from the older flyer. However, the boy didn't waste any time looking behind himself nor did he really bother to even attempt to make much distance between himself and his chaser. Petrie fluttered through the powerful winds towards the night, not turning his head even once to look around himself. And in the end, Petrie didn't twitch a muscle when he felt his left wing being grabbed by the other dinosaur's claws.

"When I give an order, I expect you to obey! Do you really want me to report further about this?" He said as he turned Petrie around and forced him to land shortly. Petrie couldn't bring himself to raise his gaze at the other flyers: all he could do was weep without an end and to try to form some kind of answer.

"Me… me don't care about it anymore! Tell Lenel, kill me here or do whatever you want! Even if it would be better than to go on with your herd!" Petrie cried as he struggled to wipe his tears away with his wing. The older flyer tried to keep his face as grim and authoritative as possible but the depth of the boy's sorrow got to him quickly. He didn't know Petrie so he didn't have any idea what had happened.

"None of us, not especially a child, can survive out there by ourselves. Petrie or whatever you called yourself, I don't know what happened but…" He started but Petrie wouldn't let him finish. He suddenly wailed to the guard with his full force, not able to stay silent anymore.

"Of course you don't! Of course nobody knows how uncle Pterano was attacked from behind for nothing! None… none of this should have never happened!" Petrie said as he buried his head in his hands again. The guard looked at him with a frown, not approving of the boy's antics in the least but he could relate to his pain. Yet, he wasn't going to let the younger flyer think he was getting soft towards a potential deserter of the herd in its most vulnerable moment.

"They never should have but I'm sure your uncle died for the right cause, something many of my siblings couldn't claim. Petrie, you must understand that life is full losses and death but it is no reason to resign yourself to despair! Our herd has given us everything and our deeds for the sake of our companions are the reasons we have to go on with our lives as each flyer should know! Petrie, I have no option but to take you back." He said, knowing that he had to obey the orders he had been given, now more than ever. The younger flyer looked at the guard with teary eyes, not giving his words much heed. His uncle was gone and no words from his captor would change that solemn fact. However, he wanted nothing less than to follow this dinosaur back to the herd who had caused him so much sorrow.

"But you can just say that you never saw me leaving! Petrie promise me never tell anyone me ever met you! Me will never…" He started but again, the older flyer put a grimmer look on his face and bowed towards the younger male, this time clearly meaning what he said.

"I would let you go if that were up to me but this time it simply isn't. Peak and Nira might still have allies among us who might work against us or contact Deron without our knowledge. Follow me and know that I will notice it if you even think of trying to flee again. Let us waste no more time, we have a long day ahead of us still." The light-green colored adult said as he took off. For a few moments, Petrie thought of turning around again and trying to lose his chaser but that would only make things worse. With a sickening feeling in his stomach, Petrie took off and followed the guard, his mind too filled with regret to even mind being forced to return.

That flight progressed in complete silence as Petrie saw the faintest of glimmers in the eastern horizon. It wouldn't be long before the Bright Circle would rise to the sky after which a departure for another day's flight would be imminent. With heavy eyes, Petrie glanced at the ground below himself, realizing that most of the herd had dispersed to either mourn their fallen loved ones or rest for the challenges of another day. But at the very least, no visible tensions could be seen in the ground which at least brought the slightest of reliefs to Petrie's mind. He suddenly looked in regret as the other flyer suddenly turned downward, heading towards the still-darkened ground. Just as Petrie touched the ground, the guard looked at him and spoke to him in a silent but decisive voice.

"Be thankful that I won't relay the news of your attempt to escape forward. I'm sorry for your uncle but even then, make sure this will never happen again. Safe flights for you, Petrie." The guard said before turning around and heading back to see for his own duties. Petrie was left to stand alone in the darkness, not having even the briefest of chances to answer to the other flyer. The boy stood still, looking into the horizon before he sat down and started to weep again. However, to his misfortune, he would find soon that he was far from alone.

* * *

Complete nothingness filled Glide's head as she stood alone on a small branch of a tree overlooking the wide battlefield, trying to ignore the gory sight. Her eyes were fixed on the distant Night Circle, thinking of her own loss. No matter how difficult it was to believe, Ortin was gone, driven away simply by the fact that he was related to the wrong flyer! The mere thought revolted within Glide's mind but even worse, there was nothing she could do about it! She didn't have the slightest of ideas where he and his family had headed and even then, Glide realized it well enough that she couldn't head after him anyway. Peak was apparently a traitor to the herd and no matter how much she hated the idea, she knew Ortin was considered little better by her own family now.

Unconsciously, Glide shook her head and narrowed her eyes as she explored the skies as if she expected to see Ortin flying there. She had spoken with her parents already and they had told her to abandon her friendship with Ortin immediately and to forget she ever knew him. That thought infuriated her without an end and as so many times before, she hoped that the boy would be on her side right now instead of her self-righteous parents. Yet, she knew that was impossible and she wasn't ready to turn her back on everything she had known just yet. A longing look rose to her eyes as she whispered to the looming Night Circle.

"I will meet you again, Ortin. I promise it." That moment seemed to stretch on forever until she suddenly noticed something which caught her attention. Two flyers suddenly landed not far from her and she immediately recognized the other one of them. "Petrie? What is he doing here on a time like this? Well, why should I care about anything he does?" She asked, forcing her gaze away from the boy. She was still more than disappointed by his revelation as there was no place anywhere more pathetic than the Great Valley. They might think their the center of the world but in truth none of its residents could survive two seasons in the Mysterious Beyond anymore. Such was the price of losing one's most important wisdoms.

Yet, Glide suddenly realized how very alone she now was. Only a few days earlier, she had had three close friends but now she only had one and even Brownbeak had had the nerve to practically claim it was Ortin's fault that he had been banished from the herd! Now, Ortin was gone and Petrie had revealed his true home, one that could never be reconciled with the efforts surviving in the wide reaches of this world really took. Yet… he had beaten her in his test back when they first met and the sense of strategy and cunning had certainly impressed her greatly. And to think of the times when he had known her, Petrie had never shown the weakness many others in the valley had been told to possess.

Glide looked at Petrie who was left alone, not knowing of his woes. However, she suddenly felt more miserable herself than in ages as she thought about the fate Ortin had been forced to face and the coming, lonely days without her closest friend. On a time like this, the girl couldn't help but feel some compassion towards the other flyer even if her mind still rebelled against breaking the ice between the duo. Maybe someday but as things were, she simply couldn't forgive his dishonesty and lies this easily. The young flyer took another sigh as she looked at the slowly lightening sky. It would take a long time for the herd and its members to recover from this bloodbath but if Lenel acted as wisely as before, maybe someday this nightmare could be forgotten. Her moment of melancholy was suddenly interrupted as another form suddenly appeared to the clearing, one that wiped away Glide's sadness away immediately. She gritted her teeth together as she turned her gaze at Petrie again.

 _If you ever were worth anything, prove it now! Show Hoist that you are stronger than you've shown thus far!_

* * *

All sense of time had disappeared from Petrie's mind as he sat still, tears falling to the ground all the time. It was as if the world itself had become one with the darkness now surrounding him, everything in it swallowed into the never-ending despair. His last conversation with his uncle returned again and again to the boy's mind and waves of guilt washed over him again and again. Had he decided against listening to Pterano's warning, he could still be alive! Why did he have to let his uncle face the danger completely alone? How could he ever allow this to pass? This was all his fault! He should have stayed by Pterano's side until the very end, not stay behind like some complete weakling! It… it was all just so very wrong. Why couldn't…

"Oh, Petrie. I can see that everything going the way you wanted. What a pity." Petrie twitched noticeably as he heard that voice and he turned his gaze to the speaker in complete shock. And the face that greeted his gaze was the one he had wanted to see the least now. For a moment he thought of leaving but where would he escape now? He only turned his gaze away from the slightly larger flyer and spoke in a voice that was barely a whisper.

"Get lost, Hoist. Me have nothing to say to you now." He said, hoping he could simply wish Hoist away but inside he knew that wouldn't be the case. But if he had to prepare for another beating, it would matter very little. Nothing mattered anymore to the young flyer. However, his fears about Hoist were proven right as he moved to Petrie's side and spoke in a more mocking voice than ever before.

"That wasn't nicely said to the only one who can show at least some sympathy, Petrie. Are you not going to thank me for using my time to come greet you in a time like this?" He asked, moving in front of Petrie, his face looking as offended as possible. Petrie, however, didn't pay those words any heed, only burying his head deeper into his legs. The silence seemed to reign for a few moments as Hoist stared at Petrie, his face growing increasingly angry towards the other boy. Petrie prayed for this meeting to end as he heard Hoist's footsteps growing ever closer. The older flyer knelt slightly before Petrie and cocked his head while forcing his face into a devilish smile.

"I know all about your uncle, Petrie. I know all the details about it. It's amazing how quickly these things spread, isn't it, Petrie?" Hoist said while watching Petrie's teary eyes growing more desperate by the second. Every part of Petrie's mind wailed in sorrow and outrage. As he heard those words, he finally turned to face Hoist who stared the younger boy in the eyes. Petrie soon tore his eyes off him and growled in a voice almost unrecognizable for the flyer.

"Get away from here, now! Petrie no want to hear any more of that!" He cried, knowing his torturer wasn't going to grant his wish. And indeed, Hoist moved to his side and spoke in a triumphant voice.

"And why would I do that, Petrie? Because you say so? It's much funnier to stay here and watch a complete idiot mourn for his weakling of an uncle! Pterano was never much of a flyer and anyone who allows himself to be ambushed from behind doesn't deserve a second chance. Admit it, Petrie. We're all much better off without him slowing us down." Hoist said with a confident smirk, circling Petrie ever so slowly. The latter, however, had had enough. He turned towards Hoist and cried with all his might.

"Uncle Pterano the best flyer ever and me not listen to anyone speak bad of him! Me…" At this point, Petrie was cut short by a heavy blow that landed right on his right cheek near the base of beak, sending the young flyer flying from his rock into the rocky ground. The brown-colored dinosaur gasped for air in shock as he heard Hoist speak to him again.

"Your uncle had his moments but most of all, he was unworthy of being anyone's deputy. And the fact that he thought bringing you into the herd… no flyer with even a hint of a brain would ever consider such a thing. Or don't you think that was one of his many mistakes?" Hoist asked as he kicked Petrie on his side as he struggled to regain his footing, sending him rolling into the ground again. The younger flyer cringed at the pain which was radiating all over his body now. However, he suddenly felt a part of his inner agony give way to a growing anger, one like which he had never felt below. He raised his head back at his foe and tried to let out a clear threat , one whose effect was largely lost by Petrie's voice.

"Take those words back, Hoist! Petrie will not be asking for a second time!" He said as he felt his hands seething with growing rage as he looked into Hoist's mocking eyes. The larger flyer didn't seem to pay his threat any heed as he pinned Petrie to the ground and smiled to him widely.

"You were a mistake from the beginning and one's relatives tell a lot about someone. Now that I've seen just how worthless you are, I must admit that I'm surprised how very, unbelievably pitiful your moron of an uncle must have been. It served him just right to be killed the same way he lived: without honor and without any…" This time, it was Hoist's turn to be interrupted as Petrie finally forced his hand free and hit at his torturer under his beak, breaking Hoist's hold on him completely. The older boy looked at his opponent in astonishment as he briefly wiped his hand at the spot which Petrie had hit before he again approached the other flyer.

"Now you've done it, weakling. I will show you what happens to those…" Hoist started but before he could finish, Petrie cut him short with a louder voice than before. The younger dinosaur's face had suddenly turned into a complete antithesis of his usual one, completely overtaken with rage towards Hoist. This monster dared to insult uncle Pterano's memory like this and think he'd get away with it? Gone were any fears about the larger boy's strength or obvious advantage, replaced by the will to defend the only thing that still remained.

"No, it you who has done it, Hoist. Me make sure you take back what you said before the end!" He cried while Hoist suddenly frowned at Petrie's answer. However, the former decided against further threats and suddenly charged towards Petrie, attempting to overwhelm him with his mere brute strength. However, something had awakened within the younger flyer and Petrie immediately stepped aside from the attack and then leaped towards his foe from his side. Hoist yelped in surprise as he felt Petrie's leg land a surprisingly heavy blow to his thigh but even then, he thought it mattered little. With a confident turn, he moved to finally exact his revenge but suddenly he felt something which took him completely off-guard.

With all his power, Petrie pushed Hoist forward, right towards a pile of loose rocks, knowing that nobody would be able to hold their footing on that spot. And indeed, after a few seconds of stumbling, Hoist felt himself falling to the ground, the loose earth around him making any attempts of quickly regaining his footing almost impossible. For the first time today, Hoist felt fear rise within him as Petrie moved above him, the younger flyer's teary eyes filled with a hint of triumph. Even if he couldn't bring his uncle back, he could at least make the flyer who had insulted uncle Pterano like that pay! However, just as he prepared to begin his attack, he heard Hoist whimper at him with an almost panicked voice.

"Petrie, stop! Don't you realize it was all a joke? There's no reason to get that mad!" He said as he looked at the haunted look in Petrie's eyes whose expression didn't twitch one inch at those words. Instead, he merely snorted at the larger flyer as he pinned him more tightly into the ground.

"It too late for that now, Hoist. Petrie said me not ask you again." He said in a voice none of those who knew him in the Valley would even recognize. Never before had Petrie been that broken, desperate and hateful at the same time and all those emotions molded together in this sickening moment. Pure horror emanated from Hoist's eyes as Petrie hit him right between the eyes and again in his chest, crying with a lost voice to his hated foe.

"This one is for uncle Pterano! And this one for the beating you gave me last time!" He cried while the memories of his last days with his uncle and the fear of his earlier meeting with Hoist encouraging him into an ever-blinder rage. He hardly noticed Hoist's efforts to begin his counterattack, the younger flyer using his advantageous position perfectly to maintain his decisive edge. He managed to inflict a cut or two on Petrie's sides but they were nothing to the hits he received one after another. However, after many attempts, Hoist finally managed to cause a deep wound to Petrie's belly which finally caused the younger flyer to screech in pain.

Yet, it wasn't long before the larger, dark-colored flyer would regret even his momentary success. Petrie glanced at his bleeding abdomen quickly before grabbing a large stone from beside him, not really realizing what he was doing. Only a flicker of fear had the time to flash before Hoist's eyes as the stone collided with his skull, causing him to almost to black out. It took him many seconds to realize that the tearful flyer had moved to batter his chest with the rock, causing him to bleed with an increasing intensity. In this moment, all reason and thinking had departed from Petrie's mind as the only thing he wanted anymore was to have some way of fighting off his own tearing pain. He hardly saw what he was doing, his thoughts locked within the fortress of despair.

Hoist, on the other hand, stared at his opponent in shock, the younger flyer's pure rage and hate completely overwhelming him. Even if he had wanted to avoid it until the very end, the dark-colored dinosaur realized within his fading consciousness that Petrie was not going to give up. His mind was battered terribly by Petrie's hits and Hoist slowly realized that without help, he would never make it away from the frenzied flyer's attack. With all his might, he suddenly cried to everyone who would hear him.

"HELP ME, ANYONE! GET THIS LUNATIC AWAY FROM ME, NOW!" He cried as he tried to twitch under Petrie's grasp. The younger flyer didn't even register his opponent's words but he decided that he didn't want to hear another word of him. Hoist let out another scream as he saw Petrie raising the stone again and when right after he saw it once again fall towards him, everything went utterly black.

The impact of his hit wasn't lost on Petrie who soon realized that Hoist's struggles disappeared slowly. For the first time since his attack, Petrie stopped for a moment to look at his handiwork, looking at the unmoving flyer below him. Even in the middle of his distress, he could see that Hoist breathed but that was where the good news stopped. He was utterly battered and there were several deep wounds within his head. Suddenly, Petrie's tears started to fall even more intensely as he realized what he had done. He looked at Hoist's blooded eyes which had closed after his savage hit but the mere sight of the wounded, unconscious flyer below him. He was about to collapse on his back in horror but those thoughts were soon ended as he felt another flyer grab his wing and tore him away from Hoist. The soon thing Petrie realized was a female voice cry to her in utter shock.

"What happened here? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" She cried as two other flyers moved to help Hoist. The whole scene felt unnatural to Petrie as he faced the furious newcomer in her eyes. He was surprised to see her to be the flyer he had seen with Lenel earlier tonight but what was her name… yes, Taria! However, that helped little in a moment like this and Petrie's answer was hardly intelligible as he spoke.

"Me never meant it to happen! He… he spoke bad things of uncle Pterano and… and me couldn't take it! Petrie so sorry!" He cried as he saw the two other flyers doing their best to halt Hoist's bleeding. He was in a far worse condition than anyone had realized at first and his whole life was on a wing's edge. Taria realized that immediately and she hit Petrie quickly before she answered to him.

"Out here, we simply don't beat each other to the brink of their final flight! Pray that Hoist will survive or because you don't want to know what will happen to you if he dies! Even now, whatever we will do, it's far too good for you, you cursed bastard!" She cried as she sent Petrie to the ground again, giving her another hit to his chest. Petrie didn't even bother to rise from the ground anymore, slowly starting to hope someone would simply end it all. In a matter of an hour, everything was ruined. His uncle was gone, he had nearly killed Hoist and there was no telling what would follow. As Petrie gazed at the rocky, dry ground, he suddenly noticed his left hand moving towards his throat, ready to escape from this hell once and for all.

 _Maybe it really is better if me just go to join uncle on his journey. Me have nothing left here. Goodbye, momma and sorry. Petrie so sorry for everything._

He thought as he prepared for his final act but just as he put his claw against his soft throat, he was interrupted by a now-familiar voice.

"Leave him be, Taria. I will speak with him myself." Petrie raised his gaze slowly to see Lenel walking towards him and the female. Almost immediately, Taria shot back at her leader in an unusually sharp rebuke of the light-colored flyer.'

"Just look at what he did! We all know that he has to be banished even if Hoist lives! There is no reason to prolong any of this!" Taria cried as she glanced at the terribly wounded boy being carried to a safer place. Lenel frowned at her before speaking in a low but calm voice.

"I know, Taria, I know. But… I have something I want to tell Petrie before we do anything else. Help the others in making sure Hoist lives." Lenel said, making clear he didn't want any more objections. Taria frowned at her leader and answered only briefly before turning around and leaving the scene.

"Very well but do it quickly. We don't need any more trouble with Hoist's parents or they might be the next one to leave if you get soft on him. He isn't Pterano and remember that you owe him nothing!" Taria said before moving to join the others in helping Hoist. Lenel narrowed his eyes, not willing to waste time on matters like these on this volatile hour but deep within himself, the pale flyer couldn't watch his honored deputy's only relative like this. He quickly spoke to the boy before rising to his wings again.

"Petrie, follow me without any second thoughts, now. Your situation is bad enough as it is." He simply said before taking to the air. Petrie felt his limbs grow heavier than tree trunks as the weight of all that had happened befell on him. Yet, something in Lenel's tone raised some interest in him as the newfound leader of the herd had no hate and above all, loathing in his voice. In the end, he had nothing to lose so why shouldn't he give his uncle's trusted leader a chance? With an exhausted sigh, Petrie began to flap his wing and the scene of the lowest point in his life.

* * *

An enraged frown had lingered on Glide's beak for many minutes as she looked in disgust at the aftermath of Petrie's frenzy. For the very first time, someone had found the courage to stand up to that son of a bellydragger and how he was treated as an enemy of the herd? Gone were the feelings of loathing towards Petrie and it had only been the fury and the quick progression of the events that had prevented her from joining the boy in finally showing Hoist his rightful place among the flyers.

 _How can the grown-ups be so blind to Hoist's acts all these seasons? I mean… he has been a total cancer upon all of us! Nothing of worth would be lost if he didn't recover at all!_

Glide thought as she kicked at her branch in rage. The thought of Petrie's dishonesty still infuriated her but not nearly to the same degree as Hoist's words to the other boy. The girl quickly took off from the tree and headed after Petrie and Lenel, hoping that the former would survive from this without any major punishments. Deep inside herself, Glide realized that something important had changed in her approach towards the flyer she had already counted as her friend.

* * *

A brief sigh escaped his mouth as Lenel landed on the cliff overlooking the rest of the herd, looking as the edge of the Bright Circle started to appear into the sky. He frowned somewhat as the events of the night started to drift away from his mind, replaced by the hope of the new dawn. He was more than relieved by the lack of opposition towards him thus far but it mattered little if there were still significant groups who would want to see him dead. The time to reinforce his position would come very soon but first, Lenel knew he'd have to reconcile with his past to the best degree. Pterano's death had been a terrible tragedy and his loss was unlike anything he had felt in many, many seasons. And as a living testament of the tragedy was the completely broken boy before him who was now completely alone in this world. However, Lenel got some relief from the plan he had in mind as he spoke to Petrie.

"As Taria told you, we cannot allow single herd members to attack another like that. If Hoist dies because of you, many here would demand me to return the favor to you." Lenel said while looking downwards at the distressed flyer, trying to open the discussion in a way which would leave him in complete control of the situation. Petrie's head dropped, only now realizing that his crying had finally stopped. Most likely he had simply ran out of tears, the flyer supposed. Still, his voice was forced and distressed as he answered to his leader

"Petrie understand but Hoist ask for it! He attack uncle Pterano again and again and when Petrie tell him to go away, he hit me in the beak! Me know me should have not done it but… but me couldn't help it." He said, only carefully eying Lenel's reaction. The older flyer frowned somewhat, not finding reasons not to believe Petrie's tale. However, his new position didn't allow him to waste time solving the issues of children's fights. No, even if Petrie was his late deputy's nephew, he wouldn't have invited him here just to listen to his explanations. Lenel turned around to look at the rising Bright Circle as he spoke.

"I hope you speak the truth, Petrie. Mocking Pterano this morning is something I wouldn't stand either but without further proof than your word, I fear there's not much I can do about it. I'm extremely sorry about your uncle. He was one of the bravest and most loyal flyers I've ever met and… and I will regret my whole life that I was unable to save him." Lenel said as he narrowed his eyes to shield them from the increasingly powerful beams of pure light. He had crossed his hands behind his back and his head drooped slightly towards the ground.

Petrie, on the other hand, frowned slightly, not knowing whether or not he should trust anything Lenel said. On one hand, this was the flyer Pterano had spoken of so very fondly and respectfully but on the other, why would anyone in this heard care one bit about him? He had never really met Lenel before so why would the older male show any real kindness toward him? And even a dinosaur as young as him realized that Lenel would probably have more pressing duties than speaking to him. No, there was no way that Lenel was telling the whole truth right now.

"Well, it help little anymore. He gone forever… but why you want to tell Petrie anything? Me not my uncle… me just some worthless flyer who everybody hate now." He said, the guilt and fear suddenly overwhelming his courage again. Lenel turned his head to look at Petrie briefly, surprised by the answer. He had expected his audience to raise the boy's confidence but apparently he was mistaken. But it seemed like Petrie was brighter than he had thought but in the end, he should have expected as much from Pterano's relative. There was no reason to prolong this meeting if Petrie didn't want to and Lenel quickly moved to his real point.

"Petrie, it is true that I mainly look at you through Pterano but believe me when I say I don't want to see his nephew like this. I failed him miserably and there is nothing else I can do for him, true, but I know that neither would he want to leave you behind to drown in your own despair. Because of that, I have a proposition for you, one I think that you, too, find interesting." Lenel said, his voice hiding nothing from the other flyer. Lenel had turned to observing his herd which was waking up from its brief and troubled sleep. The hour of today's flight was slowly approaching but he wanted to finish his business with Petrie. The young flyer frowned slightly, slowly beginning to calm down from the many humiliations. Even if he couldn't trust Lenel fully after all that had happened, at least he wasn't attacking him whenever he got the chance. He hesitated for a while before he retook the eye contact with Lenel and answered.

"Well, me guess me should thank you even if it does nothing for uncle anymore. What is it you wish to ask of Petrie?" He asked simply, not willing to prolong the conversation any more than he'd have to. Yet, in the end, pretty much anything Lenel could propose would hardly make things worse. Lenel took an understanding smile on his face and nodded briefly before answering. He was still covered in in the countless wounds of his fight with Peak but if he felt any pain, he hid it masterfully.

"In fact, I need you to only do two of my followers a brief favor. Your uncle told me everything about himself, you and your histories in the Great Valley. I cannot even begin to imagine what drove you to join us in the first place but if even a part of what Pterano told me was true, you've built quite a reputation back there. I want you to speak the denizens of the Valley allow my followers into the Valley to gather some vital information from the flyers living in there." Lenel said, speaking slowly while looking into the far distance.

Petrie frowned deeply at his cryptic words, completely taken aback by this offer. How could he possibly show his face in the Valley again? Sure, he had thought of flying there on his own only an hour ago but it had been a panicked effort which in the end was never a serious thought! They couldn't have possibly forgiven him for the death of the clubtail and he would only bring further trouble and sorrow to his family if he returned! He was already considering declining Lenel's offer when the last thought returned to his mind.

His family… Petrie had tried to push them away from his mind in order to try to forget what he had lost. If the clubtails and domeheads would still oppose his return, he would only bring more pain for everyone Yet… Petrie knew he had no future here. Here he was alone and despised and on the verge of banishment or death for his crime. No matter how he tried to see things otherwise, he couldn't ignore how very much he wanted to meet his family again. After a long while, Petrie finally gave his answer.

"What information you wish to get from the Valley? Petrie no agree if it hurts me family or the families of me friends! Also, what happens to Petrie if me succeed in getting the others into the Valley? Must me return here to be banished from the herd or worse?" He asked, crossing his arms in a show of some distrust at Lenel's plans. The pale flyer looked for the first time disappointed by Petrie's answer, him being far more suspicious of his motives than Lenel had expected. However, it was becoming clear that Petrie would in the end agree to his proposition, especially after his next words.

"Petrie, I understand that you have a hard time trusting me after all but happened. But in this case, I only want to find out more about Deron, Peak and their plans and any additional threats that might be nearby. Even if I despise its residents as much as all of us, the Valley and the Farwalkers going through it know more than nearly anyone here in the Mysterious Beyond even realize. We need to make sure we won't be attacked or betrayed again. As for your question, I'm going to offer you more than merely delaying your banishment. If you succeed in getting my allies in, I will make an exception on your case and allow you to stay in the Valley for good. I know it is what Pterano would have wanted me to do." Lenel said in an unwavering voice, a slight smile rising to his face as he saw Petrie freeze completely still.

Petrie tried to form some words but the sudden influx of emotions suddenly washed over him. Was he really being offered a chance to escape from this nightmare? The thought of rejoining his family for good after these few days… Petrie hardly remembered the last day he had slept in peace alongside his brothers and sisters. And maybe… just maybe, they would know at least something about his friends which could offer him at least some reprieve but… would the Valley ever be the same without his friends? Could he ever feel himself at home in the land where he had once played days after days with his dear friends? Yet, no matter what, Petrie knew he owed it to his family and friends to keep going forward. There was absolutely nothing left for him here and after a moment, Petrie nearly found himself speaking to Lenel with a voice which even bordered on a bit of happiness.

"Well, me guess Petrie accept it. When should me and the others be on our way?" Petrie asked carefully, not truly even daring to hope that all could go the way he would dream. Lenel smiled at the boy carefully, happy to see his plan working perfectly. With any luck, he would find a way to locate Peak and secure his hold further over the herd. And what else would be a better place than to search for additional stories about Olres than the Valley? Lenel managed to keep those thoughts hidden from Petrie as he gave his answered.

"At the same time as the rest of us leave for Streli's Hills which will happen not a long time from now. I will inform your companions of their mission and I'll give you a short while to prepare for your journey. It will be a long flight to the Valley, after all. Return here when the Bright Circle reaches its highest spot in the sky. But remember not to raise any further fuss: there are many who would have wanted me to send you away immediately. I take quite a risk keeping you safe for now." Lenel said while turning his gaze away from Petrie once again, implying that the audience was over. Petrie, however, took a small step forward and spoke once more to Lenel.

"Petrie will, Lenel. Thank you again for giving me this chance." The young flyer said as he saw the pale flyer nodding at him for the last time, prompting Petrie to take off into the wide skies of the early morning. His flight was heavy with the lingering loss of his dear uncle but fighting for a spot in his mind was the hope that he'd see his family and even friends again. The mere thought of it made Petrie want to somersault in joy but he simply couldn't after this night of tragedy. Even after all that had happened, maybe his uncle had given a priceless gift to him for seeing after him during these long, fear-filled days and guided him towards the coming return to the Valley. Petrie turned his eyes to the skies, looking at the fading stars of the dawn, his eyes glimmering with tears and emotion. In a voice too silent for anyone to hear, Petrie whispered in a wavering voice.

 _Thank you for everything you did for Petrie, uncle Pterano. Me wish you have a great journey._

* * *

 **After the terrifying tragedy of the night, a new path has been opened for Petrie which seems to be able to solve all of his problems. Is this the last day Petrie will spend with the herd and how have things changed in the Valley since his departure from it? From now on, there's a chance that we'll see a slowdown in my writing pace but I still hope to get a chapter done (for either one of my stories) once in two weeks. Other than that, I hope you liked this chapter and please let me know what you think of it!**

 **The Rhombus: As always, thank you for the thoughtful review. I'm especially relieved that you didn't think I took a step too far with Detras' plan as it was quite a recent idea I decided to try out. Of course considering killing Ruby seems too rough but I wanted to show the many complications of being an omnivore in the ancient world. I spent a lot of time in trying to create a balance between love and necessity here and I'm happy you found those efforts successful. As for the future, the family certainly is in a terrible situation but at this point, you'll just have to wait and see what happens. I'll just say that you're right in assuming there are no easy ways out of this mess.**


	30. To Save a Family

**To Save a Family**

"How much further are we going, mommy?" Ruby whispered as she shivered at another slight gust of the wind. The seemingly endless network of tunnels seemed to make the weather even colder which made her feel worse by the second. The fastrunner waited with some worry for her family's inevitable clash with the longbeaks but she knew that the coming confrontation was more than necessary for their future. Pearl answered to her daughter in an equally silent voice as there was no telling where the sharpteeth were right now and they had far better ears than the fastrunners did.

"Not much further, Ruby. I think we are slowly getting close to the spot where we saw them the last time." She said without turning to look at Ruby. Even if the shock of her conversation with her mate yesterday had died down slightly, she couldn't help but feel the pressure of guilt within her heart every time she heard the younger female's voice. She would have wanted to share her burden with someone but she of course couldn't afford to bother her younger children with these kinds of horrible decisions. For now, she would only have to live with her own guilt until Detras returned. After she heard Orchid speak to her, the older omnivore finally stopped.

"But what can we do against the sharpteeth, mommy? We all saw what happened last time and now daddy's not here to help us." He asked in a worried, even fearful voice. The boy couldn't hide how little trust he had in their quest. He was even more worried by the fact that Pearl had ordered Yarel to step aside from this task. She claimed he had done enough already and that this was something the fastrunners could do without him, especially as this was the first opportunity for the siblings to calm down after Greentail's horrible tragedy. Pearl took a brief sigh before she turned around, forcing her face to look as natural as possible.

"Very well, children. I hate to ask you to face a danger like this one but we have no options if we want to live in safety from the longbeaks. I have a plan which I think can work but please, be careful no matter what happens. If I get into trouble, run and don't look back. Your survival is much more important than mine." She spoke, part of her hoping to end up in the sharptooth's mouth to escape from this most horrifying of situations but even then, she would never want her children to grow up without her simply because she was weak enough to carry her charge in the family. She cursed that she had asked Orchid and Arial to accompany her but even the two young children could be of use as extra eyes to keep her and Ruby as safe from any ambushes as possible. Ruby looked at her mother sadly before muttering deep in thought to her.

"Then I really hope it will be a good plan, a good plan I hope it is." She said, dreading all the things that could go wrong soon. She knew longbeaks weren't nearly as dangerous as two-footer sharpteeth but still, they were much stronger than fastrunners. Her mother had mentioned there were four adult longbeaks which hardly was good news for four fastrunners, three of which were children. Pearl glanced at Ruby briefly before clearing her throat.

"So do I, Ruby. But first of all, do you remember when I said I want to check at these caves last evening? In fact, it was back then that I started the preparations for my plan. You see, I and your father found one rather young swimmer's carcass not far from here a few days ago. We could immediately tell from her smell that she had been horribly sick with a disease we couldn't identify. Still, we could see that the meat was far from being fit to be eaten as we could get very sick from it. But if a sharptooth ate it… well, it would hardly bother us." The fastrunner with a slight smile, wondering whether the sharpteeth had taken her bait. However, her hopeful thoughts were soon interrupted by Arial who answered to her mother with a clear frown.

"But… if we know that the swimmer was sick, the sharptooth should smell it from far away! They would never fall for that!" She said, cocking her head slightly with an asking look. The other omnivores exchanged similar glances and they grew ever more curious as a slight if forced smile rose to their mother's face. The older fastrunner waited for a few seconds before giving her answer.

"They would… if they could actually smell anything about the meat. You see, I and your father like to keep some things with us that could be of some use one day. After we let the swimmer lie one night on a pile of stinkweed, not even the hardiest of sharpteeth could smell the illness under it. Some predators might get suspicious from that smell, of course, but we have seen just how desperate the longbeaks really are. I bet at least one of them couldn't even begin to resist the lure of a free meal." Pearl said as she attempted to hold back her chuckles. Ruby listened to her mother before looking at her questioningly.

"But… that is only one of them. There are still sharpteeth we have to face and if there are three sharpteeth, they're too much for us to handle!" Ruby said, once again seeing the mournful hint deep within her mother's eyes. Even if Ruby wanted to completely overlook it, the younger fastrunner knew that this was a flicker of fear, even horror about something that was to come. Ruby frowned briefly, not able to hide the chill that expression brought her from even herself. Pearl could also see the brief look of worry in Ruby but decided to go on with her regardless.

"Remember, Ruby, that we are not here to kill those longbeaks. We only need to show them that trying to compete with us for the lands around the Rise isn't worth it. If we could catch the one who ate the swimmer and show the others that his or her life is on the line, I believe they could get the message. But let's go while the morning is still young. Remember when I told you earlier that spreading into two groups is our best chance." Pearl said as she turned around, smelling at the moist air entering the tunnel from the opening near the omnivores. Ruby exchanged brief glances with her siblings, able to only recite her mother's wishes about her plan's success. To her astonishment, she could soon see the tunnel spreading into two different corridors, both of them clearly leading to the wide plains over the network of tunnels. Well, that explained what her mother had meant when she had told her to take Orchid with her while Pearl and Arial would go together. Well, now was her chance to repay her family at least a part of her failures and she was more than ready to head into the action. She took a brief breath before quickly glancing at Orchid and giving him an expectant smile.

"Keep in mind what mommy told, Orchid. Stay close to me and make sure to not let yourself be seen, at least before me. Let us make our home safe again." She said before seeing a somewhat nervous nod from her brother before she walked forward, carefully sticking her head out of the tunnel, investigating the sight around her carefully. She knew more than well that her color was far from optimal for the Cold Times but that only meant that she'd have to take even more care in trying to hide her presence from the predators, wherever they were.

The young fastrunner investigated every hill, stone and dead tree around her, a slight smile rising to her face as she realized that the predators were nowhere to be seen. She sniffed at the air, immediately realizing that the sharpteeth had been here not too long ago but she couldn't quite decide in which direction they were right now. In any case, her mother had guessed that the longbeaks' sleeping place was located in some small gorge somewhere to the north from here. Ruby frowned slightly as she looked at the soft layer of ground sparkles covering the entire ground, knowing how difficult walking through these cold fields could easily become. Yet, Ruby's expression relaxed somewhat as she realized that the ground sparkles would hinder the advance of the sharpteeth even more. After a few seconds, he quickly turned to look at her brother and waved to him quickly.

"Come on, Orchid! We've got to act as quickly as possible!" She said as she began to make her way through the wide fields, knowing that the next minutes would be vital if she and her family wanted to remain unnoticed by the sharpteeth. With a fearful look, Orchid obeyed his sister's words and headed after her, struggling even more due to his smaller size but at least he could follow in the larger fastrunner's footsteps somewhat comfortably. Silence reigned over the two as they started their effort to safeguard the Desolate Rise's safety from this most dire of threats.

* * *

Deep shivers flowed through Detras' whole body as he stood still in his tracks, trying to overcome the coldness that penetrated his wet plumage. He knew more than well that a sky water on a Cold Time's day was one of the most horrible and dangerous weathers to a fastrunner as it rendered his feathers completely useless. He looked at the grey sky, praying deeply that the sky water would end soon enough but it seemed to be a fat chance. The entire sky was covered by the dark, heavy clouds and there was no end in sight for this sickening weather.

Yet, Detras knew no amount of sky water would stop his quest now that he had followed the predators' tracks the entire night. There had been moments when the fastrunner had been sure that he was close to finding the cursed sharpteeth but somehow, their scent seemed to disappear like a breath into the soft twilight of a Warm Time's evening. And right now, Detras was seriously beginning to wonder if he had lost the tracks of the two predators as he hadn't found a trace of their scent in a time which seemed like forever to a tired dinosaur who fought against the creeping chill with all his might.

Second after second, the male's breaths grew easier as he calmed down after his latest sprint through the steppe that was so characteristic of these lands. There were times when he hoped he wouldn't have been forced to spend the Cold Time here but he simply wasn't given a clear choice in the matter. Either it was these damned plains or the constant threat of being crushed by Red Claw and now, Dein and Terri, too.

Yet, suddenly he saw something which caught his attention immediately. Detras was surprised as he saw the forms of a few trees far in the distance, marking at least some of the monotonous plains. Suddenly, Detras felt his interest rise as he was quite sure that the predators would have more than welcomed this kind of reprieve from the merciless winds that had blown through the night. The aging male shook his body heavily, looking as the drops of water flew everywhere around him, heading for the small forest before him.

The run didn't take a long time despite Detras falling a few times due to the hard water under the treacherous cover of the ground sparkles. The fastrunner smelled around himself with all the concentration he could muster but initially, Detras feared it was all for nothing. He sighed deeply, slowly beginning to wonder what he should do next… until the wind suddenly changed course and Detras suddenly caught a scent which made him twitch noticeably. He immediately turned around and walked towards a nearby clearing and sure enough, his eyes confirmed what his sniffer had told him. There were a few drops of blood on the clearing which was clearly Terri's and most interestingly, it was nearly fresh! The two sharpteeth had to be somewhere nearby, a thought which soon turned Detras' excitement into fear. With slow and careful steps, Detras began to backtrack towards a nearby tree, beginning to clear his thoughts shortly.

The duo were very close to him and if he retained even the least of care, he should be able to gain the advantage of surprise over his foes. All he'd have to do is to stay calm and keep his mind calm and all would be alright… for now. Detras gulped nervously as he started to walk forward again, knowing that from now on he would have to utilize all of his care and experience in trying to move forward without being spotted.

Detras walked with short, careful steps with which he tried to do his very best in not causing any noise due to the ground sparkles. His heart beat in his chest as he looked what lay behind every tree or stone and even the forest's shifting shadows suddenly seemed to take the form of a sharptooth. It wasn't for himself Detras was worried for but without him, his family didn't stand the slightest of chance in trying to stop the revenge of the sharpteeth. He was his family's only hope of solving this crisis and that knowledge laid like a heavy stone on the fastrunner's back. One mistake and it was not over just for him but to his whole family as well.

The minutes passed slowly as Detras felt the scent of the sharpteeth grow stronger by the second. Luckily, the wind blew from behind him and the two predators had no way of smelling him in any way. Detras was just about to jump down from a small hill but he decided against it as soon as he noticed a claw sticking out from a tree not far before him. Detras cocked his head slightly, realizing immediately what was going on. Apparently Terri was left to rest alone as Detras tried to get at least something hunted with his bad leg. Detras suddenly felt his feet wear off as he crept closer to the maimed sharptooth, knowing that all depended on his initial move.

Soon enough, Detras caught a better view of the scene and it confirmed to him immediately that his initial thoughts had been correct. Terri was lying in the ground, taking heavy breaths while the horrifying wounds on her sides still dipped with blood. The sharptooth wasn't asleep but it was clear that the injuries took a great toll on the predator's ability to respond to any threats. Without Dein, even a fastrunner could attempt to strike the sharptooth down.

Yet, Detras suddenly realized this was it. Either he'd make his move to try to take Terri out and Dein after her or he could walk to her and voice his proposition to the predator, hoping she'd listen to him. Detras felt his mouth starting to ache from grinding his jaws together while trying to make his decision. If he'd try to attack Terri, there most likely wasn't turning back from that decision. He would have one shot to save his whole family and even then, he would have to somehow beat the frenzied Dein afterwards. Alternatively, he could try to make amends but in that case, he would be in Terri's mercy and even if things went like he hoped, that success would mean Ruby's death.

In his heart, Detras knew there was only one choice. He would never forgive himself if he didn't even try to save Ruby from this grisly fate. Seeing that he couldn't have asked for a better opportunity, Detras took a step forward and all his might, rushed towards the predator, knowing he couldn't get closer to her without revealing his presence. The fastrunner focused all his concentration on the sharptooth, knowing how very much depended on the next few seconds.

* * *

"Wait a moment here, Arial. I have to think for a while…" Pearl whispered to her daughter as she looked at the longbeak in a small gorge below her. The others were nowhere to be seen and that fact offered her a chance to take the initiative. She smiled as she saw Ruby in the distance, slowly approaching her and the gorge. The older female could see clear signs of vomit in the ground not far from the predator, confirming that her plan had worked. The other dinosaur was no match for her in this state. A slight look of hope formed to Pearl's face as she thought about the next few minutes. However, she was soon interrupted by Arial who looked at her mother with a slight fear.

"But what if the other bad sharpteeth return? You and Ruby cannot hold them back!" Arial asked, prompting a swift sigh from Pearl who quickly turned around.

"You heard what I told earlier. There's a chance they value their companion's life more than these empty plains. And if they don't, well… you know that we still have the advantage when we'll be on the run and there will be one less sharptooth to think about. But please keep an eye on the surrounding lands, Arial. I want to know when the danger approaches." Pearl said, glad that this mission gave him a small diversion from the seemingly endless worry about Ruby's future. Right now, she knew she was doing what was best for her family and without a major catastrophe, she wouldn't regret the outcome of this day. Arial frowned deeply but she knew better than to question her parents' orders on occasions like these. She merely whispered to the older omnivore as she saw Pearl heading to the edge of the gorge, preparing to take control of the situation.

"I will, mommy. I will." She said as Pearl gave her an encouraging nod and quickly jumped down the wall, the drop being too small to even cause the slightest of pain to the female. The sharptooth was in a far too miserable condition to even realize the attack which gave Arial a relative peace of mind. She quickly crouched down to the ground, shuddering slightly under the light sky water and the moist coldness of the day. Yet, those thoughts were swept away as she looked at her mother approach the sick sharptooth. However, fearful thoughts rose to Arial's mind.

Where were the other sharpteeth? Hunting would be the most logical answer but if at least a part of what her parents had told her was true, longbeaks would never leave their territory unprotected like this. A sudden wave of fear flushed over the young fastrunner as she wondered if the sharpteeth had headed for the Rise to take over it but those thoughts died down as quickly as Arial realized that it made little sense for the predators to even consider attacking it. After all, it merely provided a few places to hide from the wind for a sharptooth whereas it gave shelter to those hiding from their kind. The longbeaks were here to fight for this territory, not for the hills lying on it.

But even then, Arial could feel her fears grow ever stronger as she looked at her mother and Ruby who was quickly approaching the gorge. She had grown to trust her mother fully during her short life but even then, she had also been through too many dangers to shield herself from any worries she had about her family's situation. From the many encounters with Red Claw of the fastrunners to Orchid's near-freezing on the preceding Cold Time, the frailty of the Circle of Life was well-known to her. She laid practically still, her eyes locked at her mother when she suddenly saw brief movement at the corner of her eye. She immediately rose up from her lying position and with all her might, cried to her sister.

"Ruby, look out!"

* * *

It was at this exact same moment that Ruby realized the danger she was in herself. As if from pure air, the three remaining longbeaks suddenly appeared around her, cutting off her and Orchid's escape. The omnivore nearly panicked in this dangerous situation, not able to explain to herself how she couldn't have noticed the predators earlier. True, they were all rather light-colored but they were still twice her size, dammit! The only probability was that they had smelled her through the fog-like sky water and quickly crept to a striking distance from her. But even then…. their attack seemed far too coordinated to be a product of mere prompt attack. Yet, there was no time to worry about any of it. She suddenly turned to Orchid and shouted to him quickly.

"Orchid, follow me! We can escape from them if we're quick enough and to be quick enough, we have to use the right path!" Ruby cried as she headed towards the gorge her mother was on, knowing the three other paths we're blocked by her chasers. Orchid looked at his sister in terror as he headed after her, calling to her quickly.

"But mommy has the fourth longbeak! Why aren't we telling it to those sharpteeth as she told us!?" Orchid cried, not really understanding the situation any more than Ruby. The older fastrunner glanced quickly at her brother but didn't stop her flight.

"Because the sharpteeth have us now and mommy would never sacrifice either of us for one sharpteeth! Now, follow me and ask those questions later!" She cried as she wondered what to do in this situation. She couldn't really draw the predators to her mother as it would risk her as well and lose the only advantage the four omnivores had. Ruby had known from the beginning the idea of challenging the longbeaks had been a dangerous endeavor but it had been one she had wanted to do in order to protect her family. The element of surprise had been her family's best tool to fight of the immediate threat posed by the predators but right now, that edge had been lost horribly. Even worse, the cover of the ground sparkles in this area wasn't thick enough to seriously slow down the advance of the sharpteeth. It wouldn't take long before they'd reach her at this pace so she'd have to find some spot she and Orchid could use to finally turn their surroundings into their advantage.

* * *

Pearl looked in horror as she saw Arial head towards the direction Ruby was in, completely unable to decide what to do. She could either go help her children, something which she yearned without an end to do, but that would require her to kill the longbeak immediately and thus robbing her family from any kind position of power in the eyes of the sharpteeth. However, Pearl knew she had only one real chance of hoping to salvage the situation and that was to present the ultimatum to the three dinosaurs immediately and clearly. She smiled slightly as she saw how the sky water had turned the ground slippery, allowing her to pull the practically unconscious sharptooth up from the gorge. It could barely let out a whimper, let alone do anything to prevent Pearl's plan. Soon, she would learn whether she and her children would walk away as victors or whether this sharptooth would join her ancestors in the Great Beyond.

* * *

A brief whimper escaped from Arial's mouth as she struggled to pull herself to her feet as she jumped down the cliff into a high pile of the ground sparkles. She lost her balance for a brief moment but her mind didn't drift from her sister and brother for a moment. She could see Ruby and Orchid approaching her quickly but she noticed the sharpteeth on their heels just as well. Ruby seemed completely drown in her horror but she didn't forget her brother for a moment. Yet, Arial couldn't help but realize that the duo's survival was on an edge of a claw, the quickly hardening ground stealing the omnivores' advantage severely. Yet, Arial looked at the ground and after a small moment, cried to her sister.

"Turn a bit further to the left, Ruby! The ground sparkles are much deeper right here! But under it is a lot of hard water so look out!" She cried, hoping that there was some way she could help them further. She could see Ruby turning her gaze towards the direction her sister had pointed at and the older fastrunner quickly nodded at her brother and did as was ordered. Arial spoke in the leaf eater language so the sharpteeth had little idea what she had just said. It didn't take long for the duo to reach the spot and it was only with struggles that the managed to hide how slippery the area was from the sharpteeth. Ruby frowned deeply as she saw Arial just standing there even if it was more than apparent the two would reach her in a matter of seconds.

"Get moving, Arial! We have no time to waste!" She cried as she saw her sister do as was told, relieved by the fact that the ground sparkles had indeed slowed their chasers down a bit. Even more, Ruby suddenly noticed her mother with the unconscious longbeak approaching appear from the gorge, bringing her prisoner for the sharpteeth to see. She was just about to speak when something unexpected happened. Just as she was about to follow her siblings into relative safety, Arial forgot her own advice from a few minutes earlier. The girl was concentrating all her strength for a jump into the pathway into the gorge but soon, she realized that all her soles were touching were a few spots of solid, slippery spots of hard water, sending the young fastrunner flying into the ground with a violent force.

Ruby noticed this development immediately but to her horror, it was too late for her to help her sister. Every possible thought in her mind screamed against what she was seeing as Arial tried to shake off the power of the impact on her head, still seemingly oblivious to what was happening around her. It was only when she heard her mother's voice when she returned into reality.

"Stop right there or you'll have one less companion, you bastards!" Pearl cried as she looked with mournful eyes as Arial turned her gaze behind her. Everything seemed to happen in complete slow-motion: the initial relief of seeing her mother turning into a dawning concern and the moment one of the sharpteeth hit her into the ground, the child's expression turning into one of despair and begging. Pearl didn't even notice the cry leaving her mouth as the predators suddenly stopped their advance. The aging fastrunner looked at her foes in complete shock and fear as one of them, a blue-colored male, spoke to her.

"I'd advise you to release her, you pitiful sap-sucker, if you don't want this miserable brat get torn apart here and now!"

* * *

The serene silence of the forest was shattered completely the moment Detras's claws touched Terri's neck, the tranquil realm of the frigid sky water soon pierced by a shocked cry of an enraged sharptooth. The male knew he'd have to end his attack quickly as even in her current condition, Terri would soon regain the initiative. Detras didn't even remember when he had last engaged in an attack this brutal as he tore his way through the thick skin of a sharptooth. Terri immediately attempted to raise her head away from Detras' reach but the fastrunner managed to prevent it with his sheer weight. Terri cried in pain as she realized the danger she was in, trying to hit the omnivore with her claws and force him back but Detras managed to hold his ground even if the predator managed to inflict a few piercing wounds to his legs.

Even through the pain she was in, Terri realized that she didn't have the luxury of beginning to panic. She had heard Detras' charge but she hadn't managed to force her body to defend itself quickly enough due to her injuries. She hadn't even seen the attacker but she knew Detras' smell well enough to let her recognize him. The sharptooth would never forgive herself if she gave the damned omnivore the joy of beating her with a shameful attack such as this. Even if she felt her blood starting to flow to the ground again, the female took a brief moment to prepare herself for the next maneuver with which she hoped to end the fight once and for all.

Detras, on the other hand, was more than happy with the progress he was making. Maybe Terri had been injured badly enough during their last meeting to not actually be able to hinder his attack! Maybe, just maybe, he had been correct to place his bet on attacking the sharptooth and not simply offer Ruby to be slaughtered without a fight. Perhaps he could save all the members of his family after all and forge a new way forward for them… Detras prepared for another attack to tear deeper into Terri flesh but then happened something the male hadn't foreseen.

With a powerful twitch, Terri pulled herself towards Detras, causing the fastrunner to lose his balance completely. Before he could rise up, he could feel a terrible, unspeakable pain emanate from his tail and immediately afterwards, he felt another horrifying hit against his fatigued body. Terri's tail hit him just below his chest, sending the omnivore flying against a nearby tree with a sickening force. Detras nearly lost his consciousness as the terrible aching and the pain radiating from his tail flowed through his entire body. He managed to keep his thoughts around his mission but that helped little when he only with forced struggles managed to even regain his footing. From the corner of his eye, he saw something that made his already horrible situation even worse.

"In the name of our ancestors, what happened Terri? Why did you…" He asked as he saw Detras' battered form near her mate. The omnivore looked at the newcomer in horror, realizing full well that his chances of success had just grown considerably worse. Of course, he could try to run away but in that case, all would be lost. He would have wasted his chance to strike a new alliance with the sharpteeth and even worse, both of them would be after his family soon enough. Detras hesitated as he saw the horrible wound in his tail but even then, he couldn't back down anymore. In effect, he had promised his mate that failure simply was not an option today. In his heart, Detras knew he'd have to make a stand or fall for the sake of those he loved. Terri's answer to her mate bought him a few seconds of time but it wouldn't make any real difference.

"This child murderer sneaked upon me and he has stabbed us all in the back more than once! But this time, he won't go anywhere from us…" She said as she completely ignored the pain in her neck and belly, completely determined to finally send the fastrunner into the Great Beyond. Detras followed with newfound courage as Dein followed the female, knowing that no matter what came to pass, he had done his all for his mate and children. Yet, even now, the fastrunner wasn't going to give up by a long shot. Already, new ideas rose within the mind of the omnivore who had nothing more to lose in this fight.

The sharpteeth quickly closed in around their prey and even now, it was apparent that Dein's leg was still more than hurt by his earlier injury. Terri was moving forward on her mate's right side and Detras realized that with any luck, he would be able to land another blow on the female if she acted quickly enough. With a brief smirk, Detras suddenly sprinted towards a rather large rock near the spot where Terri was right now, hoping he would be quickly enough to escape the claws of the predators long enough.

Soon, Detras realized he had been correct to assume that he had calculated his timing right. While Terri could walk without major difficulty, any quick movements of her torso brought her immense pain. As the carnivore turned towards her foe, Detras used the stone to initiate his counterattack. With all the power he could gathered in this thighs and calves, the fastrunner leaped right towards Terri, gritting his teeth as he felt another blow from Terri land in his back. Yet, it was little when compared to the impact of his hit. The weakened sharptooth tried to maintain her footing at all costs but after a few seconds Terri realized she was fighting a losing fight. In a matter of moments, she found herself falling backwards towards the ground but before she felt the cold touch of the ground sparkles, she hit her mate as well, sending both of the sharpteeth crashing down.

Detras notice that his time had come yet again. The two predators had no chance of hindering the fastrunner's attack but this time, Detras used his hindlegs' claws as well to cause as much damage to the sharptooth as he simply could. As he attacked, he cried to the sharptooth will all his might.

"Nobody threatens my family and lives to tell about it! Not even you!" He cried as he prepared to give the finishing blow to the predator and there was nothing Terri could do about it during the second she had left before Detras would end her struggles for good and she knew it as well. However, it was at this point when she realized that the fate was on her side this day.

Just as Detras prepared to finish his opponent off, a powerful gust of the wind hit him, causing his already-wet plumage pull him heavily to his right. Detras didn't give it much thought and that was his worst mistake on this grey, chilly day. He concentrated too much of his weight on his left leg and just as he was about to tear into Terri's throat, he for the first time realized just how slippery the sharptooth's scales had become. With deep horror, Detras fell on his belly before sliding down from Terri's chest back into the ground.

* * *

The tension hung heavily in the air as Pearl faced the sharpteeth, trying to come up with any way to gain an advantage against the longbeaks. Very much like with his mate, the female's duty to all her children conflicted with her charge as a mother, something which sickened Pearl without an end. She would have wanted to scream as she saw the horror in Arial's eyes as the girl tried to force herself free from the sharptooth's grip. Pearl would have wanted to cry as she saw Arial trying to beg for help but her calls died in her throat which was heavily squished by the longbeak's hands. The trio stood near the fastrunner in the gorge, not far from the fastrunner who held the ill predator with an equally firm grip.

"Well, what will it be, halftooth? Will I get the pleasure of getting rid of this weakling or will you see some sense and give up? Do what you wish but you've already lost this fight and your territory." The longbeak growled with a mean smile, savoring the panicked whizzes that managed to escape from Arial's mouth. In her heart, Pearl knew there was only one choice for her to make. No matter what, she simply couldn't allow Arial to get killed here and now. The Rise simply wasn't worth that much. The female took a deep breath as she prepared to give her answer, oblivious to the fact that the fastrunners hadn't given their last word just yet.

* * *

"Now think, Ruby, what you can do because if you can do nothing, then all is lost! Oh, why, why, why, are things like this again!" Ruby whispered to herself as she pulled two feathers from her forehead, ignoring the pain it caused her. Orchid looked at her in sympathy even if his thoughts were just as concentrated on his younger sister. The two had slipped to the opposing side of the gorge to escape the incoming danger, knowing full well that they weren't the longbeaks' target. Besides, this position offered the two some shelter from the predators' eyes which allowed them to help their mother. The only question was how exactly were they going to do it?

Ruby looked at Arial's struggles in horror, knowing that it wouldn't be long until her mother would give up the standoff, thus robbing the omnivores of their new home. Ruby was close to simply giving in to her inner despair when she suddenly realized something. The cover of the ground sparkles was much thicker on this side of the gorge and the sky water had made the piles of white more fragile than they usually were. If only that idea would work… well, there were no options available for the two fastrunners anymore. Ruby quickly whispered to Orchid with renewed hope as she heard the longbeaks give their threats to her mother.

"Orchid, I might have an idea, an idea I might have! You see that there are two steep cliffs right there? If we could make too large balls from the white ground sparkles and pull them down…" She started, allowing Orchid to fill the left of her proposition by himself. Orchid frowned for a brief moment before his expression turned into one of understanding. He nearly smiled as he answered to her older sister.

"…the balls might just cause enough trouble for us to free Arial at least!" He finished, relieved by Ruby's words. However, the older omnivore wasn't done yet.

"Not only that because if we drop them at the right spots, then we may just cause enough fuss for the sharpteeth for us to drive them away in fear! But we have only one chance for that, Orchid! Make it count, brother." Ruby winked happily at the boy to which Orchid nodded at the older fastrunner quickly.

"I will, Ruby! This could even be fun…" He said as he turned around to gather his own pile of the ground sparkles. Ruby did the same and only a few moments later, she had managed to create a ball large enough to cause serious harm even to a longbeak. And not a second too soon as she heard her mother give her answer to the predators.

"You win. Just let my little girl go and we'll leave these…" She started but Ruby didn't even want to hear her finish her sentence. She quickly turned to Orchid and whispered to her in annoyance and urgency.

"Now, Orchid! Push it down!" She said as she pulled her boulder of pure white to the cliff, praying her plan would work. There was still a good deal of the ground sparkles left on the walls of the gorge which would hopefully only add to the impact of the hit later on. She frowned as she realized how sticky the wet ground sparkles actually were and only now did she realize that the balls wouldn't roll too far, a thought which made her curse internally. Yet, there was no option at this point. Either this idea would succeed or her family would be left without a home for the duration of the chilliest weeks of the Cold Time.

* * *

"…we'll leave these plains for good. Please, just don't hurt her." Pearl swallowed her tears of sorrow for Arial as she spoke, all thoughts of defeat washed away from her mind as she looked at the struggles of her younger daughter. The apparent leader of the longbeaks took a brief grin as he knew that he had managed to turn this annoying struggle into a victory at last. The fastrunners would leave these lands and even if these plains certainly were a harsh environment, he and his companions would survive here through the worst if there were no competitors with whom they'd have to share the precious little food available in this cursed wasteland. The deep-red longbeak stepped forward and spoke triumphantly to Pearl.

"Of course but all in due time. We'll release her once you let Swiftclaw free. It wasn't nicely done for you to poison her but in the end, what else could we expect from your kind. But enough jabbering. Let her go and I'll return the favor immediately afterwards. We have to make sure that there won't be any more plots." The sharptooth said, knowing that his offer was far from fair but as it was, he was in a clear position of strength. Swiftclaw wouldn't be in a condition to hunt in a good while anyway and he could see the fear in the mother's eyes, knowing she cared about Arial far more than he about his packmate.

Pearl, on the other hand, was about to rebuke the predator's proposition when she realized the futility of it all. She could see that the beast wasn't about to compromise now and any further fighting could easily end Arial's life as well. She knew this was a terrible gamble but she had no choice but to agree to the other dinosaur's terms. With a deep sigh, she prepared to take a few steps back to allow her hostage to escape… before she was interrupted by a loud grumbling from her right. Her eyes opened wide with shock as he saw the two massive balls of ground sparkles appearing over the cliff, heading right towards the longbeaks. Even worse, their mere size seemed to drag masses of the sparkles with them, causing the predators to freeze still for a few seconds.

However, those few seconds was too long a delay for them as when they finally attempted to flee, the scene around them was already being covered by the mass of white pouring right towards them. Arial could see the shock within his captor and just as another wave of fear poured over him, Arial could sense that her time had come. With a great swiftness and power, she kicked her captor in the stomach, causing him to yelp in pain and shock, loosening his grip just enough for Arial to be able to force herself free. She frowned in fear at the avalanche around herself but knew she'd have to get away quickly if she wanted to avoid being captured again. With a brief gulp, she disappeared into the white cloud and left her captors behind.

Pearl, on the other hand, hesitated terribly what she'd have to do. Of course, she'd have to help Arial but… she couldn't just leave the longbeak her companions had called Swiftclaw here. Even in her condition, she could try to attack the fastrunner or escape. And after all that had happened, there was hope for a real victory against the sharpteeth, thus ridding her of any real reason to even hold a hostage. The ill predator could at the very least offer her one, irreversible win against her foes. The fastrunner turned to look at the longbeak in the eyes and spoke to her briefly.

"I'm sorry I have to do this, Swiftclaw, but I have no choice. I hope you can forgive me." Pearl said sadly as she looked at the sharptooth's horrified eyes. She struggled to speak through her sickness but managed to form only a few, incoherent words.

"Pl… ease, don't do this! We'll lea…" She began but Pearl didn't want to listen further. The risks of showing mercy right now were simply too large and the longbeaks' alpha hadn't shown much respect to his companion's situation either. With a heavy heart, Pearl tore into the sharptooth's throat, feeling as her lifeblood flowed over her hands. It wasn't long until Swiftclaw's struggles ended, earning little more than a brief frown from Pearl who bowed her head briefly at the fallen longbeak.

Still, she knew better than to waste more time. With all her speed, she sprinted towards the avalanche, only one thought swirling within her mind. She had seen the boulders of white hit the predators nastily and it was likely that some of them were injured seriously. However, none of it mattered for as long as Arial was out their in mortal danger. _Oh, Arial, please be safe… I cannot lose you like this!_

Suddenly, the female's eyes caught the sight of something which made her breaths calm down immediately. Among the pale curtain painted against the grey sky flashed a brief hint of light red. Pearl immediately headed towards it and soon enough, she caught the sight of her younger daughter who clearly gasped for air among the flurry of the ground sparkles and cold winds. Pearl wasted no time tying her ands around her daughter, speaking to her in utter relief.

"Thank goodness you're alright, Arial! I already feared for the worst!" Pearl said warmly as she looked towards the slowly easing avalanche, knowing that the brief moment of reprieve would soon be over. Still, she couldn't pass this chance to savor this sweet moment of reunification with Arial. The girl coughed a few more times before chuckling briefly and answering to her mother.

"I'm fine, mummy. They couldn't hurt me before I lost them in that white sparkle cloud." She said happily, slowly managing to shake off her initial shock. Pearl smiled at the younger fastrunner before releasing his embrace and taking a more serious voice than before.

"You've done more than enough for now. Get out of this gorge and stay safe until this is all over. I don't want to risk you again." She said as she headed towards the slowly disappearing cover of the avalanche, hoping she could overwhelm the sharpteeth one by one before they could recover from the hit.

* * *

However, neither had Ruby been idle during the display unfolding under the cliff she and Orchid had caused the surprisingly large avalanche. Ruby gritted her teeth, suddenly realizing the danger she had put her sister in. The balls had hit two of the sharpteeth directly but Ruby couldn't say as much about the one who had hold Arial in his grip. The fastrunner knew she simply couldn't hope that Arial had escaped without being hurt: she'd have to make sure of it. She heard Orchid speak to her with a horrified voice.

"Did you see if she made it? Arial might have been buried under the ground sparkles for all we know!" The boy cried, earning a look of utter horror from Ruby. She didn't waste time answering to her brother.

"I know, Orchid, I know! Stay here while I'll go find her!" She cried as she prepared to jump into the gorge, not seeing anything under the whirling cloud of the sky stars. Orchid looked at her in shock, not willing to hear what he had just heard. He turned to Ruby in horror and cried to her.

"But you can't! The longbeaks are still out there!" He cried, as he saw Ruby trying to find out the best spot to jump to. Her voice sounded annoyed, almost angered as she cried to her brother.

"Well, so is Arial and I'm not going to just stand here and hope for the best! I have to help her!" Ruby shouted as she leaped into the gorge, causing the boy to run after her but he stopped just short of jumping after her. To Orchid, all of this seemed just so wrong and messed up… as if everything was suddenly coming crashing down around him. He buried his head in his hands, trying to simply pray that Ruby hadn't made a grave mistake.

* * *

With a desperate move, Detras tried to climb back to his earlier position but it was all for nothing. Terri rose back to her feet shortly and when Detras tried to run away, he could feel Terri's claw penetrate his left thigh, once again felling him into the ground. The male attempted to rise to his legs but the pain prevented him from moving at the pace he needed to escape. In deep horror, the omnivore realized that he had completely failed. His horrified look was reflected from Terri's red eye as she prepared to strike the final blow. Knowing that he had absolutely no choice left, Detras cried to the two sharpteeth.

"Please, listen to me! I came here to propose that we recreate the alliance between our families!" Detras shouted, knowing just how stupid he sounded. After all he had done, he didn't even himself expect the predators to listen to anything he had to say. Yet… there was a chance if he could make himself look as genuine as he simply could. Dein frowned immediately and moved to a spot where he could completely block the other male's flight, no matter what would come to pass.

"You protected Ruby even after what she had done and you've attacked me and my mate twice now. Even one of your kind should realize that we're past the point of ever being allies again, don't you think?" His voice wavered with rage as he prepared to end this pitiful struggle once and for all. However, some hidden, lingering respect deep within the sharptooth towards his former respected ally forced him to delay his hit one more time. Terri, however, was going to do her mate's job for him but not before Detras started to speak again.

"Dein, Terri… I know we've wronged you more times than once. You have the right to kill me if you wish but I assure you, I and my family didn't know what Ruby had done the last time we met. And… well, nothing I can do will bring Chomper back. I'm so sorry to you both." Detras said, not having to force a mournful expression to his face. Suddenly, the memory of his first meeting with the young predator, his initial misgivings about him and the way the young boy had proven him wrong returned to his mind. During their time together, Detras had grown to even like Chomper and the way Ruby and Chomper's friendship had started immediately from their meeting made him feel even worse for both Chomper and her daughter. The ghosts of the night Dein had forced the burden of overseeing Chomper flashed before his eyes as did the flickers of approval and worry within the boy's face later on that day. Detras suddenly realized for the first time that Chomper, too, was actually gone, sent far too early into the shadowy, immortal reaches if the Great Beyond. Detras' own thoughts were interrupted the moment Terri stepped forward and spoke to him in utter disgust.

"Stay far away from my son, wherever you'll go you bastard! He must never again suffer from the hands of cursed fastrunners!" She said as she lowered her claws towards the fastrunner, seeing the resignation in the omnivore's eyes, knowing it was all over. However, she was suddenly taken aback as her mate snapped sharply at her.

"Stop right there, dear! Now!" He said, looking at the outraged face of her mate as she turned to look at him in disbelief. She revealed her teeth to Dein and growled to him in utter rage.

"It was all his fault that Chomper is no longer with us! He knew Ruby was incapable of keeping him safe and you're willing to let him go, just like that? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR CURSED MIND?" Terri shouted but her mate didn't twitch a muscle in his face as he listened to her words. He was just as infuriated by Detras' failure but he still wanted to hear all his options before he'd do something irreversible. He, too, took a more confrontational stance but kept otherwise his emotions at bay for now.

"At least I know you aren't completely in control of yours, Terri! I would want nothing more than to gut this weakling and then force Ruby to look as I tear the rest of his sorry family to pieces! However, remember that we still cannot abandon everything for the sake of our revenge! We must remember the tasks Detras did successfully for us and I know his family won't go down easily even if we kill him! Dear… we still need allies against Red Claw. We can still give Chomper a brother or sister and ensure that our family survives, even if Chomper is gone. And for that, we must consider all our options before we do anything we might regret later." Dein said, not able to believe himself what he was saying but he knew that this was something he'd have to consider in this situation. Terri looked at her mate in astonishment and Detras realized this was his chance to join the conversation again. He crossed his hands and raised his gaze at the two sharpteeth as he spoke.

"I regret that I attacked you like that, Terri, but please, consider my situation too. Ruby did horribly wrong but if Chomper were alive, wouldn't you do anything to save him? My charge is towards my children first and foremost as I know it has always been with you, too. It doesn't make what I did right for you but I know you understand why I did what I did. I simply wanted to save my child so very desperately." Detras said as a single tear fell down his cheek. Usually any dinosaur would have wanted to hide any show of emotion in front of an enemy or foe as far too often, they would have been considered a display of weakness. But to anyone who saw the blue-colored fastrunner could see that his tear wasn't a sign of weakness but of sorrow and resignation. However, it wasn't enough to calm either of the sharpteeth down and Dein lowered his head to the omnivore's level and spoke to him slowly and threateningly.

"You're not going to talk yourself out of this, Detras. You cannot bring back our son and for that, there's nothing…" Dein started as he prepared to slaughter the halftooth but Detras quickly raised his voice, his mind nearly locking itself from any coherent thoughts as he spoke his next words.

"I cannot bring Chomper back, that is true, but there is still something that I can do to give my amends to you! You… your son is gone and the only way I can apologize for it is… is for me to lose a child too. The same one who started this nightmare from the beginning." Detras said as he suddenly felt more tears appearing in his wide, horrified eyes. He couldn't believe this was happening and the whole scene around him seemed like one from a distant, sick dream. From the corner of his eyes, he could see a surprised look from Dein who was astonished that the fastrunner would go this far to offer peace to him and his mate. He twitched visibly as he answered to the omnivore who stood in front of him, only his tears breaking the halftooth's illusion of stillness.

"You would be willing to go this far… simply to repent for what you did to Chomper? To kill Ruby yourself?" He asked, not able to hide the fact how very impressed he was by Detras' offer. True, it would do little to make his own loss any easier but at least it proved that Detras was very serious about his repentance of his past. And deep inside, the sharptooth couldn't deny that he admired the spirit and brutality within Detras, suddenly remembering why this dinosaur had been his most trusted ally for so many seasons. Terri, however, was far from confident about the fastrunner's offer and he quickly turned at Detras and snapped at him in annoyance.

"Cut it, Dein! You cannot seriously be considering forgetting Chomper's memory because of that offer?! Ruby's life is nothing compared to that of our beloved son and you know it as well as I do! We won't even become close to even even in the case we obliterate the whole litter of those bastards! This ends here and now!" Terri cried as she suddenly bowed towards Detras, preparing to crush the pitiful traitor's body to nothingness. Her enraged eyes burned with pure hate as all her senses were waiting for the sweet song only a fresh kill could awake within a sharptooth's heart. However, just as she was about to end the conversation once and for all, she could suddenly feel a powerful hit on her left side which caused her to fall into the ground with a great force. She immediately turned to look at her mate who frowned at her deeply.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Just let me kill the damned pipsqueak and…"

"For the ancestors' sake, get a hold of yourself, Terri! You know as well as I do that killing him would help nobody except your own thirst for vengeance and our kind simply cannot live with only their urges guiding them! Chomper wouldn't have wanted us to sacrifice our whole lives simply because we want to somehow pretend like our loss has been completely paid back. Detras on the other hand, is showing a real wish to move on and… maybe Chomper will be happier in the Great Beyond if his friend will be with him." Dein nearly broke down as he finished, once again drowning himself in the monstrous reality of what was happening.

Terri rose to her feet and growled loudly at her mate even if her expression showed the dozens upon dozens of emotions swirling in her mind. She had tried to cut those thoughts away but she, too, had been more than happy to hear about how happy Chomper had been with the omnivores and especially her friendship with Ruby had heartened her greatly. In the end, however, Ruby had betrayed Chomper but maybe… maybe the fastrunner could keep Chomper company until she and Dein would join them in the next life. Trying to fight back her emotions, she spoke to her mate in a far softer voice, one that sounded nearly pitiful from the mouth of the sharptooth.

"Are you truly willing to do this, Dein? Do you really mean what you've told me?" She asked, frowning deeply at the whole situation. Dein nodded briefly, his expression just as saddened as his mate's. Detras had never thought to see the two sharpteeth like this which only confirmed that his words had done their job.

"I do, Terri. The Circle of Life has to go on even without Chomper and we have to trust Detras to do his part in all of this. We have nothing to gain by turning down this offer." He said, looking at the female's eyes for many seconds, the two willing to share their sorrows with each other as they had done for so many Cold Times. This moment seemed to stretch on forever until Terri finally tore her gaze away from her mate and growled to the fastrunner with a barely restrained voice. It was clear her disgust hadn't disappeared anywhere but she had accepted that she simply had to move forward and try to forge a new way forward in life. Detras cowered slightly but kept his stance as defiant as he could through the overwhelming sorrow which invaded his mind.

"You have exactly one day to return to us and present us with the lifeless corpse of your cursed daughter, Detras! If you fail to do this, know that neither of us will never show you any mercy again!" The predator cried, her heart far from being in her words but she had decided to trust her mate enough with this. Detras looked at her with sickened eyes and tried to fight back against his tears as he answered.

"I… I understand. But I beg you… give me two days until I'll have to return to you. I… I'd like to spend one more day with Ruby until… until I put her to her sleep." Those words were the most painful ones in his whole life and he simply couldn't keep his emotions at bay any longer. The moment of Ruby's hatching, her first steps and the last starday they had spent together… he couldn't believe Ruby would soon join those memories… and by his very own hand! Detras put his hand on his chest as he tried to catch his breath, a distant flash of sky fire briefly illuminating the woods. Despite his efforts, Detras felt like he would suffocate in his own shock but he was almost immediately interrupted by Dein's angered voice.

"One day. It is not like Ruby gave us even that much. Now, go, and remember that tomorrow morning, either one or all the members of your family will lie lifeless on the Desolate Rise!" Dein cried, sending the fastrunner on his way. Detras felt shivers from other reasons than cold flushing through his body as he forced his wounded leg to at least some kind of speed. The fastrunner simply stared right in front of himself, as if trying to block all the sorrows of the sorrows of his life away from his mind. The very worst situation any parent could face was now approaching him quickly and after that deed, nothing would ever be the same again.

* * *

A soft thud could be heard as Ruby hit the thick layer of the ground sparkles covering the gorge, even her waist sinking into it as she forced the dizziness caused by the impact away. She gazed around her, at first seeing nothing as the wind and the slowly easing shower of sky water covered the world in a hue of grey. The fastrunner forced herself up from the hole she had created and soon, to her utter surprise, her eyes caught the sight of something that surprised her heavily. To her right, two of the longbeaks painfully forced their bruised bodies from under the massive balls created of the ground sparkles. Deep wounds covered the spots where they had been crushed against the opposing walls with a horrible force. Ruby instinctually cowered, knowing she would still be in grave danger if the two noticed her presence. With a shocked voice, the other of the sharpteeth spoke to his apparent alpha and asked him weakly.

"Damn that avalanche! But no matter. Shall we turn around and finish them?" The predator asked before the larger sharptooth quickly hit him in his cheek, growling to him in clear frustration and anger.

"Do you think either of us is in any condition to fight? Even a damned fastrunners could beat us now! Let them have this cursed hellscape, we'll find some far better pace to spend the Cold Time like this! Blueye can join us but we are in no position to help him now!" The longbeak cried as he and his companion sprinted out of the gorge, their severe wounds bleeding heavily and it was also clear that they had broken a few bones as well in the hit. A wide smile rose to Ruby's face as she heard those words but quickly and surprisingly even to herself, a new idea rose to Ruby's mind. She hadn't even realized her thoughts to drift away from her current situation but hearing that there was still one longbeak here, alone, made Ruby's mind to begin working overtime.

Seeing that the two others had left the scene, Ruby quickly forced her way towards the remains of the two ground sparkle balls, knowing that it would be the spot where the remaining predator would most likely be in. She quickly knelt to dig into the massive pile of white left by the avalanche, hoping she would be in time to help the longbeak. She was almost about to give up when she suddenly felt desperate twitching below her. With quick moves, Ruby concentrated her efforts to allow the predator to breathe again and only after a few seconds did she see the hues of red among the ground sparkles that told her that it was time to begin her plan. As long as she saw that the longbeak could breath, Ruby put her hand on the dinosaur's throat and spoke to him in a low voice. Usually, it would have been ridiculous to even think of fastrunner threatening a larger sharptooth but the latter was nearly complete incapacitated by his injuries which gave Ruby the chance to take the initiative.

"Stay right there, sharptooth. Your companions have left you and I won't hesitate to take you down after what you did to my sister. But first, I want to hear your name." She said, her expression leaving little up to interpretation. Once, not too long ago, Ruby would have hesitated to take a life but one by one, the past had eradicated those barriers completely. She still hoped it didn't come to that but she wouldn't have regretted killing the longbeak to any meaningful decree. The predator looked at her in slight shock, slowly realizing his situation. His voice was hoarse as he spoke, knowing just how badly his pack had been beaten.

"I am known as Taro. But if you had wanted to really kill me, I would have never known it. So, tell me what you want and let us both get on with it!" He said, knowing just how humiliating it was to be at the mercy of a juvenile omnivore but he knew just as well that there was some reason to Ruby's hesitance to get rid off of him. The halftooth frowned at the beast's lack of respect but saw no reason to hide her proposition any further.

"Very well. I'm ready to let you join your friends if you make sure they'll never bother us again." She said, willing to see just how the sharptooth would react. To her disappointment, he rolled his eyes in clear annoyance, answering to her almost immediately.

"Is that it? You just told me yourself they had left so there's little for me to say to them! You got Swiftclaw and we others are hurt so we have to forfeit this territory for you anyway. There has to be more to your demands than that." The sharptooth said as he forced his hands free from the cover of ground sparkles before Ruby forced him to stop with a deep and sharp frown. Her voice took a more serious tone as she answered.

"You are right, right you are! I need you to find one dinosaur and tell him he's needed here immediately to defend his allies from incoming danger." She said, causing the predator to narrow his eyes slightly. His interest grew slightly as it was interesting to hear just who the fastrunner expected to come to her aid. He seemed to relax somewhat as he answered to the smaller dinosaur.

"Then, by all means, tell me his name! I cannot contact him if I don't know who we are talking about!" He said, prompting Ruby to take a brief sigh. She had no idea how all of this would turn out in the end. She hated to do this without her parents' knowledge but if her mother insisted on trying to fight Chomper's parents without any further help, all would be lost. After all she had gone through, she wasn't going to give away the aid of the only dinosaur who could stand against the two sharpteeth. Ruby lowered her voice considerably as she spoke to the longbeak, knowing that she was taking a huge gamble here.

"He is called Stealth. He is a rather young, dark-colored sailback who pledged an alliance to me not too long ago. If I were you, I wouldn't consider simply ignoring my request as I'll make he'll know about your lies as well." Ruby said, looking with some outrage as the longbeak's face turned into a kind of a mocking smile. His face turned into a slightly amused one as he answered.

"Stealth, eh? I wonder why he would ever even hesitate to swallow you whole at first sight. I have a hard time believing he would even bother to…" He began but Ruby stopped him short by pulling his throat harder towards the ground. Ruby raised her voice again and her expression returned to the more threatening one she had held earlier.

"That doesn't concern you, sharptooth. Do you accept my proposal or do you prefer to join your companion in the Great Beyond?" Ruby had never before threatened anyone like this and she prayed she'd never have to again, no matter how foolish that thought was. Still, Ruby felt sick beyond words as she wanted nothing less than to spread death and sorrow around herself, something which she had found herself doing more and more as of late. Still, this wasn't the time to show her hesitation and she managed to hide her misgivings from the predator completely. The sharptooth looked into Ruby's eyes for a few seconds, as if to weight her sincerity. Yet, after a moment, he started to speak in a resigned voice.

"Very well. You win this time, fastrunner. I'll tell Stealth that you request his help out here." He said, looking as Ruby's face relaxed somewhat in apparent relief. However, before he could even twitch one muscle in his body, Ruby quickly straightened her hand and with a quick tug, pulled one of the feathers on the beast's crest away. The sharptooth looked at the omnivore in slight shock but then calmed down as Ruby released his throat from the dangerous grip she had held him in earlier. Ruby spoke to him quickly, noticing the air slowly beginning to get clearer all around her. She spoke to the longbeak with a slight smirk as he forced himself to his feet once more.

"For your sake, I hope you keep your word, Taro. Otherwise Stealth, as well as my family, will know of your betrayal but if you do as you promise, you will have our thanks. Now, go and leave us in peace." She said as the sharptooth frowned at her and seemed to even hesitate for a moment but soon enough, sprinted towards the wide plains in search of his companions. Ruby looked in worry after him, praying she had made the right choice as she heard her mother cry to her.

"Ruby! Thank… thank the ancestors you're alive! I was so very worried but… where are the longbeaks?" The older dinosaur asked as Ruby turned slowly to look at her mother in an odd look which went unnoticed to her mother because of the joy of the moment. Ruby smiled slightly but she hid many doubts beyond her seemingly tranquil expression.

"The sharpteeth ran away after the avalanche, ran away they did! Our home is safe again and we don't have to worry about that threat ever again, mummy!" She cried, seeing Orchid and Arial also running towards her. She would have wanted to rejoice this moment of triumph but the coming confrontations yet to come as well as Stealth's future arrival prevented her from fully celebrating just yet. Deep inside, Ruby couldn't help but feel that her worst threat thus far, no matter what form it would take, still waited to reveal itself.

* * *

 **While the immediate threat caused by longbeaks might be over, Ruby's more than right to fear for the future. With Detras' journey's conclusion and the possible inclusion of Stealth in this mess, the coming days will hardly be easy ones… After this chapter, I'll hold a brief pause from writing to plan this story's future developments but it shouldn't take too long. As always, I'll welcome any thoughts you might have about this offering and see you next time.**

 **JassyIsClassy: Thank you very much for your review and for giving this story a read. Seeing that newer readers also enjoy it really means a lot to me. It's good to hear you liked those parts of the last chapter as I certainly wanted to make the Petrie/Hoist scene as dramatic as possible. As for the ending, I figured it'd be time to finally tie the Valley into the story and to give Petrie some mercy after all the things that have happened lately. Yet, the fate might still change many things soon enough… Again, thanks a lot for your nice review and I hope you'll also like this chapter!**

 **The Rhombus: Thanks for the great and detailed review as always! It is indeed true that his uncle's fate has changed Petrie forever in many of the ways you described. Pterano had given him some kind of shelter from his present which had helped him fare against the unforgiving circumstances but now, all of that is just a memory.**

 **As for Hoist, I'm glad you also found that scene good enough. I had initially considered even killing him but it could have been a bit too edgy here. As for your observations about Petrie's character development, it's great that you find what I'm doing with the flyer interesting and it certainly is true that there will happen many things waiting to happen in the Valley but I doubt it would be a good idea to talk about those. You also raise great points about Petrie and Pterano's similarities when it comes to their possible mistakes and you're completely right about all the things that may wait Petrie in the future. In fact, you have my thanks for giving me more food for thought for my brief planning break with your observations. In any case, thank you very much for your review!**


	31. A Supposed Salvation, A New Beginning

**A Supposed Salvation, A New Beginning**

After a long, cold morning marred by intermittent showers of sky water, the Bright Circle started to peek ever so weakly through the heavy clouds which were so common for this gloomy season. Many of the peaks around the three flyers were being painted in light yellow as the sweet warmth reached Petrie's beak. The land far below him was completely white but at least he received this brief breath of warmth here in the sky. That made his flying and increasingly tired breathing a bit easier.

It had been nearly two hours since the trio's departure from their herd, the flight being characterized by silence during this journey from which only two of them were meant to return. At first, Petrie had been worried of his companions but after a short while, he could see neither of them seemed to pay him any heed. His two companions were Northwind, Glide's father, and Kero, the flyer even he recognized as Nimble's apparent successor. The young flyer couldn't tell much of his situation judging by their behavior as two of them hid their emotions perfectly. Not that Petrie would have even wanted otherwise: all that mattered was his chance to finally retake his life once and for all and try to salvage what he could of it. At this point, Petrie didn't care in the least about the two older flyers after their arrival in the Valley.

Minutes passed ever so slowly as the Bright Circle shed more of its grey cover, making the day feel warmer than in weeks. Petrie's half-closed eyes stared into the horizon as a distant sight suddenly caught his attention. Far, far, in the distance appeared two tiny pillars of smoke, something which at first didn't register properly in the boy's mind. However, after a short while, he started to investigate his surroundings and realized something that made his heart jump greatly. He knew these canyons and mountains from his flight towards the Big Water so long ago and that could only mean one thing! He suddenly flew closer to the two older males and yelped in expectation.

"Those hills just over the horizon… they're the Smoking Mountains! It not be much further until we reach the Valley!" He cried as he only barely managed to prevent from somersaulting in the air. If he were alone, he wouldn't have hid his joy but in the presence of these two he felt like he'd have to maintain some kind of control over himself. He frowned somewhat as the two other flyers glanced at him, Kero being the first one to speak.

"Just as we planned. I can see from your face that you're returning home." He said somewhat coldly, putting additional emphasis on the word home. Before Petrie could answer, Northwind continued from the other dinosaur's comment.

"He certainly is. I won't forgive Glide anytime soon for showing her weakness before the likes of this murderous brat." His voice was even more hostile than Kero's and he didn't even look at Petrie as he spoke. It was clear that he thought very lowly of the boy and his composure communicated nothing but disdain for the young flyer. He had witnessed Glide's defeat at his hands and if his daughter couldn't beat even some weakling from the Great Valley, she wouldn't survive a week when it became her time to take her place in the harsh world. Petrie was the embodiment of her failure and his incident with Hoist hardly raised his opinion of Petrie. The younger male, however, gasped in annoyance and flew to Northwind's side to answer to him.

"That not fair! Glide did well but me had to do better if me wanted to beat her! That no reason to be mad at her!" He cried loudly, a profound change of tone from the early morning. The closer he got to the Valley, the stronger conflict it evoked inside him between joy and grief. It felt like there shined the warmest Bright Circle inside him but the center of his heart bore a horrifying, crippling pain that would never leave him. For now, however, the adrenaline in his veins enabled him to hide his loss at least to some degree. However, the older flyer's snort seemed to lower his mood immediately.

"It's interesting of you to defend her as I could hear a lot about your last meeting. I always advised her against meeting you ever again after her humiliation and I was very pleased when she told me your and her friendship was at an end. It's better for us all when you return to the life you belong instead of holding us back!" He said without any regret for his words. He had expected Petrie to rebuke his words but instead, a weak smile rose to his beak. It was clear the older flyer didn't know of one conversation Petrie had had just before his departure from the herd, one that had offered him some closure after all that had happened.

* * *

 _Shivers of excitement and despair fought for the control of Petrie's mind as he landed on a small branch at the edge of the forest on a spot where there were no dead flyers anywhere to be seen. He gasped for air as he thought about everything that had happened during the past hour, overwhelmed by it all. His eyes were red from the endless tears of the morning and his whole body was still sore from his fight with Hoist and from the sobbing. The boy did his very best to calm down from everything and begin thinking about his situation when he heard a silent creaking voice behind him. Petrie turned around immediately and cried at the newcomer._

" _Who are you? If you plan to hurt Petrie… Glide? What you doing here?" He asked in surprise, his expression voicing his displeasure at her arrival. He remembered more than well the betrayal and sorrow her actions and words brought him the last time they met. If she thought she was so much better than him, then she might just as well get lost and join those who were worthy of her attention!_

 _Glide frowned slightly at Petrie's somewhat hostile greeting as even now, she wasn't willing to apologize to him in any way. In the bottom of her mind, she understood why Petrie distrusted her but in the end, that mattered little. All that mattered now was to at least try to mend fences with the flyer who had proved to more than she had previously thought._

" _I saw what happened between you and Hoist and… I can only imagine what they said to you afterwards. All that I wat you to know is that… you did the right thing. Hoist deserved everything you threw at him." She said, her face revealing the awkwardness that the girl felt inside her. That wasn't the smoothest way to state her business but hopefully it would do. Petrie gasped in slight surprise, astonished by Glide's almost friendly words. However, in the matter of seconds, another thought rose to his mind._

" _Well, thanks, me guess. But if you saw it all, then why didn't you help me?! We could have stopped Hoist before Petrie had to do what me did!" He asked in slight anger, the image of Glide standing by as Hoist attacked the memory of his uncle rose to Petrie's mind and it hardly made him appreciate Glide's presence any more. Glide glanced at a hopper struggling to forge its way through the ground covered by the ground sparkles before returning to look at Petrie._

" _I owe you nothing, Petrie, and I would be lying if I said I still accept your lies to me before. In addition, I wanted to see if you would stand up to what is dear to you and… well, you did. But believe me when I say that I'm truly sorry for your uncle. He… he was a good flyer." Glide offered as slight breeze blew past the two young flyers. The two locked glances slightly as Petrie realized he couldn't contain his emotions at the mention of Pterano. He still wasn't sure of Glide's intentions and he hated showing this kind of weakness before her but it simply couldn't be helped._

" _Petrie still can't believe it really happen! It all just so very, very wrong…" Petrie said as his head fell slightly towards the ground before he again looked at Glide and continued. "None of this should ever happen! But… but me guess… thank you for your words, Glide." He said, trying to ignore the fact that his uncle's remains lied only a minute's flight to his right. The girl looked at Petrie understandingly, remembering why she had liked him earlier. His courage and willingness to listen to others were shared only by a handful of other flyers she had met and above all, there was still not a trace of malice within the boy. She crossed her arms and spoke to Petrie in a silent voice._

" _Of course, Petrie. You did a service for all of us by standing up to Hoist. But… did they tell what'll happen to you now? Not anything good, I'm sure of that." She said, worrying about what she'd hear. At least Petrie hadn't been killed or banished yet so that was a good sign. Petrie waited for a slight moment to calm down before giving his answer._

" _L… Lenel said he allow Petrie to return home if me help some other flyers get them the approval to enter the Valley. Me don't know why he want that and Petrie not care. Me just want to return home." He said, weeping slightly as the symbolism of those words once again flashed in his mind. Glide took a brief gasp, narrowing her eyes momentarily. After a moment, she asked in slight worry._

" _So… you're leaving us for good?" She asked, the sorrow in her voice surprising even the flyer herself. After hearing of Ortin's departure and Brownbeak's antics, she had hoped that she could at least salvage her fledgling friendship with Petrie. But apparently the fate had different ideas… She raised her gaze again as Petrie answered._

" _That right… Petrie hope me never have to live a life like this again." He affirmed, wiping the moisture from his eyes. He felt he was ready to take this step as he owed as much to all those dear to him. Glide turned away for a brief moment, looking at the wall of grey covering the entire wide skies. They were so like her feelings in this gloomy moment: nothing was wrong per se but neither was there anything better to be seen in the horizon. However, if that was the case, she might as well do what she had come to speak to Petrie for. She looked at the boy appreciatingly as she spoke to him again._

" _Well, I hope all the best for you, Petrie. But… before you go, I'd like you to know that I've forgiven you for what happened a few days ago." She said, casting a slight smile at Petrie. He answered to her gaze with confusion at first as he tried to realize what she meant with her words. However, it didn't take long until their true meaning pierced Petrie's mournful mind. If Glide truly wished to part as a friend… then he had no choice but to return this surprising gesture. His beak formed the most careful of smiles as he returned Glide's friendly look. Everything seemed to stop between the two flyers as Petrie spoke in a soft voice._

" _Glide… so does Petrie. Me absolutely hated what happened back then but… it in the past now. It cannot be helped anymore. It's great to see you again, Glide." He said as a loud call came from the other flyers, apparently signaling some kind of a call for the flyers to start to prepare for departure. Glide sighed as she realized that she'd have to soon but it didn't prevent her from finishing this conversation with the male._

" _Thank you for that, Petrie. You are one of the nicest flyers I've met in my life and I'll be happy to call you a… a friend." She said, a distinct hint of melancholy apparent in her eyes. Her words awakened many ghosts from his past within the boy which he couldn't entirely hide from the other flyer but it most likely seemed like a fleeting, unimportant memory. Petrie's voice wavered as he answered, the emotions running raw and fresh in his mind._

" _Me will too. We don't need to be near at all for that and even if we'll live apart, we will still be friends if we only meet after many, many Cold Times. Me learned that from me other friends." He said glumly but his words were immediately followed by another cry from the assembled flyers. Glide frowned at the voice but she knew better than to linger for much longer. She lowered her head and nodded briefly at Petrie._

" _You're right about that. Well, Farewell, Petrie. Maybe we'll meet one day again." She said as she prepared to take off into the fields below her. Petrie narrowed his eyes as he suddenly realized this was likely the last time he'd ever meet Glide. Even after their breakup those few days ago, the boy realized he had missed Glide and to be forced to part after this brief reconciliation… it was much harder than he had thought at first. But if that was the case, he had no reason to leave a bad image of himself to the only real friend he had made during these long days among the herd. He took a warm if bittersweet smile and moved closer to Glide and spoke to her in a surprisingly firm voice for the young flyer._

" _Me know we will, Glide. But even if we don't… it was great to get to know you. Petrie hope you have a good life." He said as he saw a flicker of melancholy within Glide's eyes. The two shared one last glance before the girl gave an approving smile and spread her wings. The boy looked as Glide's form grew ever more distant, feeling a small flicker of warmth within his heart. This wasn't Petrie's first goodbye but it was one of the harder ones as he had shared the amount of sorrow and happiness with only a handful of other dinosaurs. Petrie took a brief sigh and turned around to prepare for his future instead of dwelling in his past._

* * *

All those memories flashed before Petrie's eyes in mere seconds, the surprise and happiness of Glide's overtures still resonating within the flyer's heart even through Northwind's arrogant words. That brief discussion had wiped at least part of his bitterness away but the rest of his mental healing would only be achieved by the passing of many, many weeks, when he could finally bid this cursed Cold Time a not-so-fond farewell. The boy received a surprised look from Northwind as he didn't seem to be offended in any way by his words.

"It is, Glide's dad. But Petrie not so sure she meant everything she might have told you." He said oddly as again glanced before him, seeing that the Smoking Mountains had grown that much closer. And among them was a sight that, as so much had on this day of great upheavals, brought him both a wave of nostalgia as well deep pain. The Threehorn Peak, one of the most distinguishable summits of the Smoking Mountains, the final scene of his adventure to his and his friends' search for the Stone of Cold Fire. A major chunk of it had been torn off by the explosion that had destroyed the Stone but the memories of all those he had shared that adventure with, among them his uncle… Petrie sniffed slightly as he tore his gaze away from the Peak and focused his attention to the sight before him: the familiar sight of the walls of the Great Valley.

* * *

A slight thud could be heard as the yellow-colored flyer landed on a small platform overlooking the area around the Roaring Falls. She frowned as she looked at the highly submerged plains, most of the trees growing in them still buried by the water even though the flooding receded a bit every day. Still, that didn't change the damage it had already done. Etta was a carefree and far from serious soul but even she was highly discouraged by that sight or anything else that happened lately. She brought her hand to her forehead and shook it slightly, hoping things would get better again but she knew wishing changed little. She prepared to take off when she suddenly heard a voice down below her.

"You know as well as any of us that we don't have no time to waste, barkbrain! Help us clear this mess up or get lost!" She turned to look at the speaker who was one of the domeheads. Her tone didn't surprise Etta greatly even if it did little to appreciate this situation any more. She looked at the other dinosaur in slight chagrin before she answered.

"Of course, of course, there ain't no reason to get all that worked up, mam! I'll get there soon enough!" She cried as she rose to her wings, knowing she was completely right. Every day the lowering waters revealed more possible food to salvage as well as potential dangers that had to be noticed before they noticed anyone in the Valley first. The flyer took a brief sigh as he prepared to depart to the skies once again to help the rest of the Valley-dwellers survive another day of growing distrust and hardship. However, just before she leaped down from the cliff, her eyes caught the sight of something which stole her attention immediately.

Two flyers she had never seen before were just flying over the Valley's walls and they were already starting to lose some altitude, signaling they were going to land shortly. This caused a slight frown within Etta as she didn't need any further action to spend time but she knew well that nobody was to be let inside the Valley's walls before it'd be found that they were unlikely to cause trouble. Etta snorted briefly before she took off to see what the newcomers were up to.

* * *

A deep sigh of excitement escaped from Petrie's mouth as the sight of the Great Valley's rolling hills and rivers appeared ever so slowly over the range of mountains which had seemed to never grow closer. His excitement was nearly overflowing as he knew he'd meet his family again soon and maybe… maybe he would hear about his friends as well. So much depended on what would happen in the coming minutes. However, the first thing Petrie noticed made his heart jump into his throat.

Most of the Valley was horribly battered, the trees torn from the ground while masses of water had turned parts of his old home into a lake. The areas around the Roaring Falls and Sinking Sands were completely gone and the rest of the Valley was just…horribly damaged. However, the herds of dinosaurs still dotted the land which gave Petrie some relief from the initial shock. He was soon forced snapped out of his thoughts by Kero whose words was that of surprise rather than shock.

"Well, look at that… I guess the Valley's not as safe as they say after all. Petrie, what should we do now? Who should we speak to in order to tell our business?" He asked, slowing his flight as a mark to the two others. His words indeed caused slight hesitation to the boy as he tried to gather his thoughts again. After all, this was just the reason Lenel had sent him along with the two flyers and his last task before he'd be free once and for all. He began to investigate the lands below him, searching for signs of Littlefoot's grandparents or Cera's father but at least at first gaze, they were nowhere to be seen. Well, it mattered little. He turned to Kero and spoke to him in a happy and optimistic voice.

"Let us find some grownups and they know where the leaders of our most important herds, the Circle, are! We just have to…" Petrie started before he was suddenly interrupted by another voice that seemed to emanate from some distant past, as if he had last heard it in some other life.

"Stop right there and tell whoever you fellas are and what… Is it you, Petrie?" The newcomer's voice turned into one of utter surprise immediately as he saw the small flyer with the two outsiders. Etta had been sure that Petrie would never return to the Valley after she had heard of the little ones' disaster after that horrible day so long ago… She was more than elated to see him but that still didn't relieve her of her duty to question his companions. Petrie immediately turned to her and wasted no time answering to the yellow female.

"Etta! Petrie is so happy to meet you again! Me have so much to ask you but before anything else, tell me how me family has been doing!" He asked in utter excitement, more than relieved to see an old, friendly face after everything that had happened. He couldn't wait one more second to see them but as soon as Etta heard the question, her face fell completely and along with it, Petrie's excitement. She seemed to hesitate terribly about her answer but even through her efforts to always lighten the mood around her, she had never been one to hide or sugarcoat anything from those who asked her something important. After a few seconds, she finally managed to form a few words, her voice deep and glum over what she was about to say.

"Petrie, hon, I'm afraid they ain't here anymore. Follow old Etta and I'll explain everything if you do the same. I… I also have to call the others as they haven't… exactly forgotten what happened with Chomper and the ol' clubtail… In any case, wait for a while as I get the others to decide what do with you three." She said as she turned awkwardly around to lead the others to a safe spot. However, this gesture was lost to Petrie who froze still as he heard Etta's words. His family wasn't here anymore? What in earth did she mean? Certainly… certainly she couldn't mean that…

"But even if they not here, please tell me if they're… they're still…" Petrie started to what Etta merely sighed as an answer as she headed towards the ground, followed by the three other flyers. She frowned slightly but turned quickly to Petrie and cried to him in a loud voice.

"The last I saw them they were all just well and fine, Petrie. But other than that… I do not know." She said as her feet touched the wet, green ground. She looked at the three briefly and spoke, clearly in deep thought.

"Wait here for a brief while I'll go get the others. I won't take long." She nearly muttered, a startling change from her usual mood. None of this was lost to Petrie who couldn't help but come to the conclusion that not even Etta could guarantee the coming meeting would go as he would have wanted. Petrie's head dropped as he spoke.

"Alright… we will wait here, quieter than quiet. But… be right back, Etta." He whispered as the female cast a brief smile at him before taking to the wide skies. It had been only a few minutes since he had returned home and already, none seemed to go distantly how he had hoped. He had seen that the Valley was largely ruined and his family was gone for some reason. The familiar sight of the wide reaches of the Sheltering Grass didn't seem to register in the flyer's mind as he simply stared forward, his heart feeling as if it was being gripped by some unknown force. For now, it seemed like his mother and siblings were alive but… but the hell had happened in the Valley since his departure? Countless horrifying questions circled within Petrie's mind as he heard a somewhat relieved comment from Kero.

"Well… even if the news weren't the best for you, Petrie, at least we still are in a rather good situation. At least we haven't been chased away just yet. Remember that if you manage to speak us out of this interrogation, you're free to go." He said, willing to offer some relief to the boy. His gesture was motivated more by common manners than actual sympathy. He didn't know nearly anything of the younger flyer and to be honest, he didn't care to know. He was just means to an end that would soon disappear from his life for good. Kero's confident smile was shattered soon as Northwind answered to his comment.

"That's a big if as you know! I cannot fathom why Lenel put any faith into him. That flyer didn't seem too happy to see us in the first place and there's a very good chance we'll be sent away before we can even get a chance to tell why we are here!" Northwind snorted, glancing at the wide range of mountains around him, unimpressed by the sight. Kero took a slight smile and looked teasingly at his companion, walking closer to him.

"I'd keep my beak shut about these things if I were you, Northwind. I doubt Lenel would want to hear such whining from one he offered a position as his deputy." He said, earning an annoyed stare from his companion. He turned to face his companion and spoke in a slow, angered voice to him.

"All that matters to him is our success, Kero, and I doubt revealing secrets about your equals will get you too far either in his eyes!" Northwind said, slowly shrugging the fledgling fight away. Petrie didn't even listen to the duo's words, his mind entirely focused on what would happen when Etta returned. The boy would have wanted nothing more than to go question anyone in the Valley about what had happened but Even Petrie knew that Chomper's farewell here still weighed on him too. He crossed his arms over his chest, staring into the horizon with a look that bordered between hope and utter fear.

* * *

"He said what?! Get back there and tell that bastard to vanish from the Valley for good, wingbrain! I will have no further argument about those who murdered my child and my mate!" The clubtail cried at Etta, only barely able to resist stomping on her in utter outrage. He had happily thought that he'd never again have to hear of the flyer but here he was, apparently thinking he could just return here and think everything was just fine, just like the other brat! Etta glanced in worry at her other companions, trying to ask them for at least some support in the face of the clubtail's rage before answering to him in a regretting tone.

"I know all that happened… but it ain't Petrie's fault! That nasty sharptooth is nowhere to be seen and it'd only be fair…" She started, before the clubtail cut her short and cried in utter rage.

"The only thing that would be fair to my mate would be to crush any friends of that murderous monster! They brought Chomper back into the Valley! They made you others believe in his damned lies with their poisonous words! It was because of them that…" He raged before the two other dinosaurs present finally got enough of the clubtail's raging. Ura was just about to speak but Mr. Threehorn beat her to it. The three were the first three dinosaurs Etta had thought of calling, the swimmer and the threehorn because of their still-respected status and the clubtail… well, in order not to make things any worse.

"Get a hold of yourself, clubtail! I can see why you're angry about this but she speaks the truth, it wasn't Petrie's fault. We have to at least see what he and these two other flyers have to say." He said in a voice so very uncharacteristic for the threehorn. If there was one thing he wasn't exactly known for was his defense of the dinosaurs he had locked horns so many times in the past, among them the flyers. However, the reason for his sudden benevolence wasn't a secret to the clubtail who immediately turned to him with a look that bordered between a mocking and enraged one.

"Bah! The only reason you're saying is that you wish to hear something from your daughter as we all know, threehorn! But who knows, maybe he will lie directly to you to try to earn your trust and bring another disaster upon us all! After all, he already managed to do that once as we very well remember!" He said as he moved to directly confront the threehorn as he had never really forgiven the weakness he had shown when he had approved of Ruby and Chomper's return into the Valley and neither would he ever win his respect back. The other male, however, was far from pleased by his counterpart's words and he lowered his crest towards him as he growled to the clubtail in clear rage.

"Don't even start, you dumb, fat good-for-nothing! I did what I thought was right and nothing you…" He started but he was cut short by Ura who moved between the two and spoke to the threehorn in a stern voice.

"Step back now, Topps! We know what has happened to Tria but that's no reason to start a fight with everyone you see! And Mr. Clubtail, get a hold of yourself! There's nothing wrong with willing to hear what Petrie has to say as well as who these new companions of his actually are. And besides, I also want to hear about what happened to my little Ducky if he only knows something about and that's something you cannot deny us! We've learned nothing of her and Spike but the survival of two of his friends means my sweet daughter can still be alive! And I won't let you prevent me from finding her again!" She cried, crossing her arms, allowing a bit of moisture appear in her eyes as she again started to think about her lost child.

The clubtail gritted his teeth in rage as he decided to do as he was told. He knew he had little hopes of winning this argument as deep within, even he could feel the same pain they did but only in his case, he knew his mate would never return to him. He would have wanted to attack his companions to wipe away at least a part of his pain but decided against it. If these idiots wanted to again listen to that cursed sharptooth's friends, so be it, but at least he remained to make sure they'd never hurt anyone again. He sighed slightly as he turned at Etta and asked her in a low voice.

"Have it your way for now, weaklings! But those other flyers you mentioned were with him… do you happen to know who they are?" He asked in a surprisingly calm fashion which took the yellow female with slight surprise. However, she didn't waste any time answering as she wanted this issue to be dealt with as soon as possible.

"I've never seen them in my life… but then again, there are many others who I haven't either. But they had many, many scars and wounds so I guess they haven't led the most peaceful of lives." She said as she brought her fingers to her chin, causing a slight snort from the clubtail. However, the threehorn wasn't about to let the other male stand between him and the one who could tell him of any news from his daughter.

"Well, we'll see it right away if they can be trusted. Lead the way to them, Etta, if this moron allows it!" He said, earning a murderous glare from the clubtail but he decided against escalating a situation he knew he couldn't win. The flyer frowned slightly as she thought of how the meeting would turn out but again, if she and the others went to meet Petrie without telling the clubtail, there would very likely be blood later on. She spread her wings and then spoke to her companions in a voice which resembled more her normal tone.

"Well, then follow me! They ain't far from here!" She said as she heard the steps of the larger dinosaurs behind her, fearing how things would turn out. She knew that one way or another the meeting would end in violence or tears but that couldn't be helped at this point. She only feared she wouldn't regret her part in whatever would be today's aftermath.

* * *

Silent thuds could be on the soft ground as the small, green-colored dinosaur moved among the high grass and the countless paddles of water dotting the battered landscape. He hated the feeling of his feet sinking into the mud up to his knees but right now, trying to fly through the cold, windy heights appealed even less to him. Guido was spending another day in his favorite sleeping place in a small cave on the hills near the Sheltering Grass and attempting to shrug off away the increasing chilliness of the season. That was, until he saw something that caught his attention immediately. At first, he didn't give much thought to Etta confronting a few unknown flyers but after a short while, he recognized a voice that he had ever expected to hear again.

Ever since Petrie's and his friends' departure, the green-colored boy had been very lonely and most of the other children in the Valley seemed to even avoid him in a way that saddened him without an end. Yes, he knew most had thought of him as kind of a weirdo but… at least Petrie and the others had accepted him as he was and he had hoped the others would do. However, it had proven to be wishful thinking and after these countless, lonely days, seeing that his closest friend was alive was something that nearly made him jump with joy. He couldn't wait to meet him again and hear what all had happened ever since his departure.

Guido prepared to finally pull away the last pieces of vegetation between Petrie and himself when he heard something that made him stop still. It was the angered, outraged voice of Mr. Clubtail and it immediately wiped his good mood away.

"Well, you barkbrains better explain right away what you want from our Valley and especially why you've brought this… this killer back into the Valley! Speak or you'll regret ever coming here!" He called, causing Guido to cover slightly. He hated arguments and he certainly didn't want get into a fight with the clubtail and whoever companions he had with him. Guido kicked a small rock in annoyance but decided to wait a small while before making his appearance, hoping he would be able to skip this discussion once and for all.

* * *

The clubtail's angered voice didn't cause one muscle to twitch in Kero's face as he raged at the three flyers. Inside, he frowned deeply at this brash and undiplomatic entrance from the larger dinosaur but his reference to Petrie hardly deepened his trust towards the boy. However, he had no choice but to confront the clubtail, the threehorn, the swimmer and the yellow flyer so no matter what, he couldn't lose his calm now. He grimly looked at Northwind, telling him clearly to shut up as Kero knew more than well that he had a far better chance to get on good terms with the Valley-dwellers. He bowed deeply before the clubtail and in a firm, friendly voice answered the question.

"Respected elders of the Valley, we come on behalf of our great herd's leader Lenel and we wish no harm to you or your home. All we ask is for a permission to stay for two days and to seek knowledge from the flyers of this Valley as well as your help with one… inconvenience that has truck us." He said simply, his face confirming he told nothing but the truth. Northwind nodded to his words briefly, causing a slight frown from the clubtail.

"Then you made a mistake bringing that brat he…" He started before being interrupted by Topps who was far too worried and fearful about to Cera to let him finish. Petrie was deeply disturbed by the amount of desperation within the threehorn's eyes as he had never seen him looking this miserable.

"We'll get to that later, clubtail! But Petrie, please tell me, have you heard of Cera since… since the sand cloud happened?" He asked, the emotions locked in his mind yearning to be freed. However, before he could speak, Ura walked to the threehorn's side and spoke in the very same tone to the flyer.

"And… how about Ducky and Spike? Have you seen any of them either? Please say you have!" She said pleadingly, causing Petrie's face to fall instantly. The boy felt his words get stuck within his throat as he wanted so very badly lie to the two to save them all the obvious sorrow that his answer would cause. However, only now did he realize the sobs that were fighting their way into his mind. Now that he thought of it, he had never told of his friends' fates to anyone, not even to his uncle. Only now did Petrie realize that he had kept all of his grief to himself or this time, locked deep within himself to a degree that it hurt now to even touch the surface of those memories. He could already see that the other dinosaurs could tell that the flyer had nothing good to tell them but nonetheless, Petrie knew it was his charge to tell them what he knew, for the sake of his friends and for the sake of their parents. However, it wasn't until after he had started when he realized something that cut his words short very quickly.

"No… Petrie cannot say that. Ducky's momma… I haven't seen Ducky or Spike since… Uhh, did you just say you know of the sand cloud?" The flyer asked with teary eyes, his heart jumping greatly as his brain registered that one detail in the threehorn's words. He had completely bypassed it himself when he had heard it but now, that comment's significance rose fully to his mind. Ura and Topps both frowned slightly at each other before the swimmer finally gave her answer to the boy.

"Petrie… you aren't the first of your friends to return to the Valley. In fact… Littlefoot came here a bit over a week ago." Ura said, looking as Petrie's eyes widened immediately. Petrie's gaze became glassed immediately and he could hear his breaths wheeze in shock as he stared right at Ura. Had… had he actually heard… what he thought? Surely… certainly that couldn't be true! Littlefoot was dead as a stone along with the rest of his friends! He had to be! But yet… if what Ura told him were true… It was only with great efforts that Petrie managed to calm himself down enough that he could ask in a wheezing voice.

"Is it true? Please tell Petrie you not lying! Where Littlefoot now? Petrie has to go meet him!" The flyer cried, his body fighting the urge to leap into the air or run away from the Sheltering Grass, anything that would help him reunite with his dear friend after all this time. However, he forced himself to calm down and listen what the two dinosaurs had to say. There was some hint in their eyes which made him nervous beyond words but he tried to keep his hopes up for now. It was the threehorn this time that answered the flyer's question.

"She speaks the truth. The longneck came here, telling us everything about what happened to you kids since… since your so-called friends revealed their true selves. None of us will ever be able to pay our mistake back to the clubtail but we decided to overlook it with the longneck for a time. He, too, claimed that all others, including my daughter, had died in the Sand Cloud but… here you are, Petrie. As for your last question… he headed back into the Mysterious Beyond a few days later to… to search for his grandparents." He ended in a firmer note, wondering how he ended up talking like an understanding friend to Petrie but his life had already been turned upside down ever since the loss of his daughter and mate. He couldn't hide his sorrow and countless days of mourning he had gone through but he wasn't going let that soften him further in the eyes of the Valley.

One hit after another, Petrie felt his conscious thoughts being battered into oblivion. First he was told that Littlefoot was alive but then he had gone away, only to doom any hopes of a joyful reunion into mere wishful thinking. And even more, what had happened to Littlefoot's grandparents? In fact… what had happened overall since his departure? There were so many questions he wanted an answer for he didn't know where to begin in the midst of all that swirled through his mind right now.

"His grandparents? Where they go? Petrie has to know!" The flyer asked carefully, swallowing as he spoke those fearful words. However, any hopes of a friendly answer disappeared the moment the clubtail stomped his foot into the ground and cried in a clearly enraged voice. No hint of compassion could be seen in his eyes as he spoke to the hapless boy.

"Can't you seriously guess why they're gone, barkbrain? Could it be for saving that monster's hide after he killed one of us in cold blood? Do you think many of us could ever forgive that? Well… admittedly some could…" The clubtail glanced in anger at his companions before continuing. "… but even afterwards, they continued to advocate for searching for your sorry hides, something they eventually got accepted. However, we had no idea to which direction you had gone and we found no trace of any of you. In the end, the longnecks couldn't stand knowing Littlefoot's fate and they took off before we returned to the Valley and we haven't seen them since. And it was good for those bastards as they would have never survived the storms which struck us shortly afterwards. Everything has been far better since the disappearance of those arrogant, sharptooth-loving bastards!" He cried, the hate more than apparent in his voice. Petrie frowned slightly while unconsciously relishing a beam of warmth against his back. He was only beginning to go through what he had just heard before his ears heard something which delivered another, nearly physical blow to his mind.

"And before you ask what I meant earlier, Petrie, your family decided to get away from here by their own choice. It had a lot to do with the storms the ol' clubtail mentioned and your mother seemed to decide she and her family would get a better life elsewhere but where… I simply cannot say. I'm sorry for that, Petrie but the Valley has had its share of problems even without the sky water." Etta spoke, putting her fingers against each other, the flyer being clearly nervous about this whole meeting. Petrie looked at her in sadness, lamenting that his return to the Valley certainly didn't go the way he would have wanted. The only good news was Littlefoot's survival, a fact that stirred further hope within the boy's mind. He took deep breaths as he started to calm down but before he could speak, he heard Northwind speak. The older dinosaur had slowly grown frustrated by the seemingly never-ending exchange of news and he wanted to get into the main issue itself.

"Now that we have gotten over all of that, we would appreciate an answer to our proposition. As we said, we wish no harm to anyone here and we'd be on our way by the time the Bright Circle rises the day after tomorrow." He offered, earning a slightly annoyed look from Kero who realized the relative insensitivity of his companion's words but knew he had no chance but to hope it wouldn't undermine their chances of success. Topps narrowed his eyes as he moved closer to Northwind who kept his calm even before the large threehorn even if he knew he could crush him with one charge. He knew that courage was the best way to impress a stranger and he didn't twitch one muscle as the other male stopped just before him. The sorrow and relative cordiality he had shown earlier disappeared as he addressed the tall, relatively-dark colored dinosaur.

"As for you, I've had enough of lying flyers to last for many more Cold Times! It was Petrie's very uncle who last betrayed our trust and know that I am not going to make the same mistake again. If it were only up to me, you would be on your way right now!" The threehorn cried, not nearly in a mood to argue with a flyer who had clearly led a highly violent life judging by the numerous scars that dotted his body. The smaller dinosaur frowned at the mention of Pterano as he hadn't even been told Petrie's uncle was known here. He would have wanted to keep a rant to Lenel right now for telling him so little but he knew he couldn't let out any implications he knew anything about Petrie's uncle if he was this hated in the Valley. But that didn't change too much right now as his goal was still unchanged. Northwind took one, careful step back before he spoke again to the other dinosaur.

"I regret your distrust towards us but to prove to you that we have no ill intentions, I tell you that we only seek knowledge about one flyer, knowledge which has been spread over the world during the many, many seasons since his days finally set beyond the horizon. We would also like to give a warning to you about one other group of flyers who would harm your precious Valley. But even then, Lenel feared that we might have a hard time winning your trust and that is exactly why we brought Petrie with us. We've heard he has helped you many times in the past" He said, surprising even himself with the amount of calmness he managed to retain in his voice. Topps frowned at the flyer's words, his words reminding the larger dinosaur too much of the explanations Pterano used to give him those few Cold Times back and his trust towards the flyer certainly wasn't increased. He was just about to give his answer when Ura spoke to Petrie in a softer voice.

"Well, Petrie, I hope you have a good explanation for bringing these two here. I bet you have a longer story behind you but that can wait at least a moment. But for now, I want to know who these two are and who is this Lenel?" She asked, causing Petrie to swallow slightly before preparing to answer. However, he was briefly interrupted by Etta whose face had turned into a highly thoughtful one.

"I think I might have just heard of him one time. Ain't he this one herd leader who tried to scramble for some future with a small herd? I heard of him from one flyer who was one of the only survivors with a fight with his herd… why did you meet with him, Petrie?" Etta asked with concern, that tale not exactly raising her confidence at Petrie's companions. She could see that the same was true for all the three other grownups she had brought with her but she could only hope Petrie could speak himself out of this mess.

The young flyer was about to start explaining when he suddenly realized something. It was clear that speaking of his uncle would hardly improve his standing here if Cera's father and probably the clubtail seemed to still despise him greatly. Especially the fact that they had mentioned Pterano as a reason for their distrust towards Kero and Northwind made Petrie cringe big time as he would have wanted to do nothing more but to tell everything about his uncle's great deeds during the past weeks.

Yet, the boy didn't forget for a second that his first and foremost job was to secure his companions' entry into the Valley and if everything went well afterwards, then maybe, he could tell what had really happened to him. Petrie sighed and cocked his head as he spoke to the three grownups with a heavy voice.

"Well… Petrie maybe explain things more thoroughly later but here it goes… Me was badly injured in the sand cloud and Petrie tried to find any of me friends but soon, sharptooth flyers found me and me would not be here right now… if it weren't for one flyer named Ortin who drove them away and invited me to the herd until… until things in the Valley would get easier." Petrie unconsciously cowered as he saw the clubtail snort heavily at his words. Kero realized the younger male's lie at this point and inside, he was far from happy with how Petrie was handling this meeting but he knew he couldn't react to his story in any way or his lie would be exposed. Petrie swallowed deeply before he continued.

"A lot happened within the herd ever since me arrived there and some… some things were not good ones. What me guess matters is that some of our leaders betrayed us and attacked us when they had the chance. Petrie had just began to settle in when it all happened… Some of the other flyers attacked the rest and Lenel was the only leader who kept us all together. You right, Etta, of his past but these days he leads the whole herd of a whole mass of flyers!

But after that fight… there happened an accident which ended badly for Petrie and… and me thought it would be time to return home. Lenel himself offered me a chance to return if me tell you who he is and who these two are! Well, this flyer is named Northwind and he the daddy of the best friend I made in the herd! He can be trusted and he also one of the closest deputies to Lenel these days!" Petrie forced his voice to sound friendly even if inside he had certain misgivings about the older flyer. Still, he doubted he would hurt the Valley in any way so he decided it would alright to change the fact a bit concerning him. Northwind crossed his arms and nodded slightly, trying to look as friendly as he could. Petrie then turned at the other flyer and continued in a similar manner.

"And he be called Kero. He a follower of one of the leaders who attacked us but he decided to do what best for all and he joined Lenel to save the lives of his friends! I promise you can trust that neither of them have anything in mind that could in any way hurt you or the Valley! Me promise they here only to ask the things they mentioned earlier. Me… me not have right to ask this what happened last time but… please believe Petrie now. Let them and Lenel get to know the Valley and they might even be our friends one day!" Petrie spoke, trying to look as sincere as he simply could. He hated that he was forced to cast aside his uncle and Chomper in his speech but that was a price he was willing to pay if that would help him move forward with his life.

The reaction to his heartfelt pleas was that of confusion and uncertainty. None of the four wanted to attack Petrie's tale headlong but neither did they want to embrace it completely. There were a few seconds of silence before the threehorn broke it with a brief whisper to the clubtail near him.

"Whoever would be stupid enough to want to be friends with such a group of violent, manipulative flyers…" He whispered to Ura who quickly cast an annoyed look at the threehorn who frowned in return. He didn't like this situation one bit but still, he decided against escalating the situation with the swimmer. Instead, Etta glanced at the other dinosaurs and cleared her throat before turning at Petrie again.

"Could you wait a moment, Petrie? We'd like to discuss this for a while." Etta spoke to Petrie who nodded to the older flyer after a short while. He knew this was the best he could expect at this point. Topps seemed to mumble something between his teeth before turning around to disappear into the Sheltering Grass. Petrie took a deep breath as he began waiting for the inevitable decision from the four grownups. There was something in their tone that worried Petrie but he decided to ignore it for now. For the first time since meeting Etta, he had a short moment to reflect his situation. He had learned so very much during these past few minutes that it seemed to completely overwhelm him with the implications.

Littlefoot was alive but he, his grandparents as well as Petrie's own family were no more in the Valley which meant… whatever it meant, really. Most of all, Petrie couldn't even begin to understand why in earth his family would just leave like this. His mother knew very well that none of Petrie's siblings wanted to leave the Valley so why would she do such a thing? Would his family be alright wherever they had gone? Petrie frowned in worry as the horrific pictures of all that could go wrong flashed before his eyes. Why, just why couldn't they have stayed here? Petrie knew the answer was likely to be a complex one but he knew it would have to wait for a while more, at least until he'd learn just what the four grownups would decided concerning him and his companions.

Still, Petrie felt extremely miserable right now. He had hoped his times of fear and peril to be at last over and while he could stay in the Valley, a distinct worry pierced the boy's heart as he looked at the majestic strings of mountains around him: that the safety and happiness he had hoped to find in the Valley still lingered outside this most wondrous of places. He'd have to find his family and know that they're alright and he'd have to let Littlefoot know he was alright. But he couldn't possibly do that alone… but what else could he do? Petrie seemed to have petrified in place following the four dinosaurs' momentary departure and he was only awakened from his mental slumber by Kero's voice.

"Well, they certainly didn't give us an easy time, Petrie. But at least you did your part well enough." He said, trying to sound as neutral as he simply could. He knew that it was more than likely that someone was still observing the three flyers' actions to decide their trustworthiness. He knew just how difficult that situation was as a complete silence or wrong kinds of words would be interpreted as highly suspicious. Northwind knew this as well as and he forced himself to keep his thoughts of Petrie's actions to himself. He merely snorted slightly and spoke to the younger flyer with a slight chagrin.

"I didn't expect them to be this suspicious of us. But then again, it's good we weren't sent away immediately. It seems Lenel was right about our chances to make a good impression. After all, we are here to benefit both our parties." He said as he frowned slightly. He wasn't as ready to please their hosts but he made sure that none of his words would offend anyone who could be listening. Petrie didn't seem to even note Northwind's words at first as he continued to stare forward before he finally answered to his companions without turning to look at them.

"Still, everything is completely wrong! When Petrie last left the Valley, they were not this fearful of others! Me guess me friends were a part of it but… this not the Valley Petrie knows!" He said, just wondering what Littlefoot's grandparents' absence had meant to the Valley. Without their guidance, the Valley was likely to do something stupid and it seemed like all of the grownups acted far differently than Petrie had learned to know them.

Etta was far less carefree and more serious, Topps seemed to be heavily burdened and saddened by something, Ducky's mother was far more silent and hostile while the clubtail… Petrie sighed as he thought about him. Deep within, the boy knew his tragedy was in part his fault even if he would never accuse Chomper of defending his dearest and oldest friend from the frenzied attack of a charging clubtail but… neither could he accuse her either. It was all a sickening mess and one that he knew he'd never get over one and one that would never be forgiven to him and neither should it be. Petrie continued to stand in his place as Northwind answered again.

"Well, I can only guess what these kinds of rising waters have caused out here. But the Valley will recover in time, Petrie." He said simply, it being the only thing he could with even a relative friendliness. Petrie merely sighed after which neither of the other flyer wished to comment anything nor did they particularly even want to. All they wanted was to get all of this and eventually learn to redeem their places on Lenel's side.

The minutes passed on ever so slowly with the storm inside Petrie only growing stronger by the second. He noticed none of the countless voices of life around him and he no longer even paid heed to the unusually beautiful weather for the season. The new waters around the Roaring Falls glimmered in the Bright Circle's light, painting half of the Valley in its bright colors. A warm wind blew through the still-green meadows, hills and forests of the Valley, weaving all its residents to its sweet shroud. To anyone who was just passing by, it would have seemed like the very picture of paradise but to Petrie and the residents of the Valley, it was just a brief stop in their attempts to regain the peace they had lost ever since the Warm Time had moved onto the eternal past.

It felt like an eternity to the distressed flyer before he finally saw the grass move again before him, a sight which caused his heart to again begin beating in his chest in an almost violent manner. So very much depended on the next few minutes. However, Petrie was slightly relieved when he saw that no looks of anger or malice could be seen on Etta, Topps or Ura's faces while the clubtail seemed mostly bitter. He didn't know what to make of their expressions just yet but something deep within his mind brought hope to his mind. Kero stepped to Petrie's side and answered with a worried voice.

"Please, tell us what you've decided. Too much is at stake for any needless delays." He said, hoping to up the ante at least a bit to get over this annoying situation. He received a brief frown from the clubtail but it was shortly wiped away by Ura who looked at Kero with slight displeasure but her voice was surprisingly neutral as she spoke.

"I hope you don't understand this wrong but to be honest, none of us could truly trust in your or your friend's words. Some of us would have wanted to send you away but even these days, that's not how the Valley does things. We don't know this Lenel well enough and judging by Etta's words alone, we cannot make any real decisions concerning his trustworthiness and because of that, we will grant you the benefit of doubt this one time because of Petrie's words. You can stay in the Valley those two days you mentioned but know that if anything suspicious happens, you will regret ever coming here." She said, making sure she meant every word she said. Petrie could only wonder how very badly Ducky's loss had affected her mother as she seemed so very different from the swimmer Petrie had learned to know. Kero was about to answer before the threehorn moved towards Petrie and growled to him in anger.

"As for you, Petrie, we guess we cannot force you away either. You, Cera and your friends were of great help so many times to us all to simply overlook it all. However, Mr. Clubtail is right to demand that you show us you wish to have nothing to do with Chomper or his memory anymore." He said, causing Petrie's brows to fall and his beak rise in shock as he heard those words. To have nothing to do with even Chomper's memory anymore? What in earth did he mean? The mere sound of those words horrified Petrie and he squeaked sadly as he answered.

"Wh… what you mean? How can Petrie do that?" He asked, hoping he wouldn't anything too outrageous. Topps sighed before he continued, glad he didn't have to ask this very thing from Cera.

"There is nothing we can do to change the past but you have to admit to us all that it was a horrible mistake to allow either of those murderers into the Valley in the first place and that we should have just made sure neither of those bastards will never hurt another dinosaur ever again and that you did a horrible crime ever getting to know them! And if in the future we'll ever have a similar problem, we expect you to know what you will have to do." He said, causing Petrie to take two steps back in complete shock. How could he ask him to renounce his entire friendship with Chomper and Ruby? He… he couldn't do that to his dear, departed friends whom he had grown to love as his family! He snapped immediately back at the older dinosaur in anger.

"You… you cannot force Petrie to do that! They don't deserve…" He started before he felt a great flicker of pain in his back and the very next second, he found himself rolling into the ground before he was finally stopped by a large rock. Petrie felt his head hitting it rather violently, causing him to almost black out. In his shock, he heard a loud cry penetrate the air.

"What do ya think you're doing, clubtail? This ain't what we decided, as ya well know!" Etta cried to the larger dinosaur who looked at the small flyer in utter rage. It was only a flicker of a second before he answered to the yellow female even if there was a weak hint of acceptance of inevitability within his voice.

"What does it even matter? He already defended that cursed sharptooth and he made it clear he doesn't even realize what all went wrong for both him and his friends! I told you I want to hear not one complaint" He cried as he saw Petrie rising back to a sitting position, still recovering from the hit. Etta prepared to confront the clubtail even further before they both were cut short by Topps who approached the duo quickly.

"Back down, Etta! We also decided that he's not going to get away from this if he continues defending Chomper and Ruby!" He said before turning to Petrie, his expression darkening greatly. He spoke slowly, making things as clear as possible to the flyer.

"Well, Petrie? It is all up to you. Denounce those two forever and you are free to stay at least a while in the Valley. We will give you this one chance which is far more than you'd actually deserve after all you did!" He said, finally returning Petrie to his senses. The flyer shuddered before the threehorn's gaze, trying to come up with something to say. He could see the asking glances of Etta and Ura as well as the encouraging looks Northwind and Kero gave him. The answer should be so very easy to give but… the memories of exploring of the Cave of Many Voices and the preparations for Ruby's starday returned to his mind, the scenes as lively as the day he had actually lived them. All the times of fun and loyalty he had shared with those two… could he actually attack the only thing that remained of them, the beautiful memories which still lingered everywhere within his mind?

The thought of his choices made Petrie weep inside. He couldn't betray his companions or the Valley now and only make his life all the more miserable. He could see very well why the grownups demanded what they did but it didn't make his feeling any better. The guilt and sorrow still lingering within the flyer made any decision more than difficult as he imagined the shocked looks of his friends if any of them were here to witness his next words. However, Petrie felt slightly easier when he knew that wasn't the case and in a way, it was his duty to Lenel to get himself out of this mess and neither would Ruby and Chomper want him to make himself any worse because of them. The words seemed to flow out of Petrie's beak as he finally gave his regretful, heavy-hearted answer.

"Petrie not want to have anything to do with what happen on that day. Even if me tried to speak sense to Chomper, he never listen and in that way, he prove to me that he never was Petrie's friend! Me… me guess it all taught Petrie that me can never trust sharpteeth or fastrunners again. You right in making sure Petrie gets these things said because… I couldn't have said them otherwise." The boy finished, on the verge of tears after the words which made him feel sick beyond as he could only guess how saddened and offended Ruby and Chomper must be at him somewhere out there… far, far away in the Great Beyond. The flyer hardly heard what Topps said as he turned around, seemingly satisfied with Petrie's answer. He then spoke to the other dinosaurs in a voice which resembled more like his common one more than anything he had said thus far.

"Well, that was that. Or do you still have something more to, clubtail?" He growled as he looked at the other male while revealing his teeth in an attempt to intimidate him. The threehorn wanted to finally get over this issue and in truth, he was getting annoyed by the clubtail's antics. The latter returned Topps' gesture and for a moment, it seemed like the two were about to start a real fight. However, after a moment, the clubtail snorted heavily and turned around while snapping at the threehorn in clear anger.

"This meeting was a disaster for us all, threehorn. And most of all to you, murderer." He glanced at Petrie in utter rage before he disappeared into the sheltering grass without another word. The six other dinosaurs were left in utter silence to look after the clubtail. His words had been a disappointment for everyone present and his last threat caused shivers creep down Petrie's spine. Something in his words haunted him greatly as he could see that the larger dinosaur hadn't been joking when he made his threat. For a while, he even thought of simply escaping from the Valley once and for all but his fearful thoughts were interrupted by a careful question from Kero.

"Well, is it settled?" He said simply, knowing the substance of the question was more than clear for everyone present. Ura sighed as she shook his head before she turned at the flyer, her expression still holding some resentment but she was too mentally exhausted to try to prolong this meeting any longer. She let her eyelids fall slightly as she spoke to the flyers.

"On our part, it is. You may stay here for two days and ask the things you want but after that, you will have to leave. And as we said, we advise you against betraying our trust while in here." She said, earning a wide smile from the male. He nodded to the swimmer slightly as he gave his answer.

"You have our thanks for the trust you've shown towards us. We'll make sure we are worth it." He said as he saw Topps turning away in slight chagrin which dampened his enthusiasm somewhat but he cast that notion aside immediately. Ura then turned to Petrie in a slightly more relaxed manner.

"As for you, you can stay here for some time. We cannot speak for everyone as you will not be easily forgiven as Mr. Clubtail just showed us. You may yet have to leave but at least you have our trust." She said as Petrie gave a saddened but understanding look at her. He knew just bad his situation what but for now, he knew he couldn't ask for more from the three grownups. Northwind then walked to Petrie's side and spoke to him in an almost appreciating voice.

"Thank you for your help, Petrie. We appreciate your efforts for our and our herd's sake. We hope you all the best in the future." He said while Kero joined the other flyers to address Petrie for this very last time.

"It's good to see Lenel wasn't completely mistaken. In any case, your part is done. Goodbye, Petrie." He said, his voice more than relieved by their success. Petrie turned to them slowly, looking at them for a few seconds before answering. It was saddening to know this would be his last contact with Lenel's herd in his life but at least he was now safe from any further conflicts or hardships that life would have brought upon him. He looked at the two flyers wearily as he spoke.

"Thank you for showing Petrie the way here. Me also wish things go better in the herd from now on." He said as he noticed the two older males nod to him before taking off. Petrie looked after them for a few seconds, wondering if he had done the right choice after all. However, his short moment of reflection was soon ended as Etta approached him and spoke to him carefully.

"I'm sure you wish to rest and look around yourself a bit, it was a long flight after all. But if ya ever need something, I'll be happy to help. But it's good to have you back out here." She said to Petrie who nodded at her approvingly. He took a brief smile at the yellow flyer as he looked Ura and Topps leave the scene.

"Thanks, Etta. Petrie might have more things to ask but for now, everything fine." He said, earning a few moments of silence from the older dinosaur. However, she soon nodded at Petrie and spoke to him before rising to her wings.

"Suit yourself, Petrie! Just be careful of the new waters and sinking grounds!" She cried before she, too, disappeared into the skies of the Great Valley. Seeing her leave made Petrie feel as if a large boulder had just been removed from the top of his heart. There might be a lot that could still go wrong for him but at least, he was home and his fate was again his own. He'd relish these days in the Valley but sooner or later, he'd have to find his family and Littlefoot. But for now, Petrie was where he wanted to be. He prepared to head for his family's last nest to refresh some beloved memories when he suddenly saw movement within the tall grass to his right. He immediately turned to that direction and squeaked in a fearful voice.

"Wh… who goes there?" He began to back down as the movement grew ever more profound, realizing how badly his heart beat in his chest. However, his fears were soon cast away as he saw a familiar green form jump in front of him, speaking happily.

"I… I still hope you remember Guido and not run away when you see me! But uhh, it's good to see that meeting went even that well, isn't it?"

* * *

 **Petrie's homecoming didn't provide him with the final solace he had been looking for but he found one piece of knowledge that is worth more than nearly anything in this world for him. The flyer's journey will soon take another kind of turn but hardly one most would suspect… This chapter was one watershed moment in this story and I truly hope you found that this installment did justice to the many developments in it. As always, I eagerly wait for your thoughts about this chapter!**

 **The Rhombus: Nope, I wouldn't be evil enough to get rid of Arial at this point. Each of the fastrunners still have their roles to play and it would be quite mean to cause Ruby more sorrow in her situation. As for what will happen with Ruby and Detras, those events will get rolling on soon enough. Ruby will be up for a rough ride but I doubt I can tell a whole lot more about it. I'm happy you found the action in this installment better composed than some previous ones as I did try to keep it easier to follow and it's good to hear you found those efforts successful. All in all, thank you for the review as always!**


	32. Confrontation on the Desolate Rise

**Confrontation on the Desolate Rise**

A slight look of sadness rose to Ruby's face as she looked at the other omnivore, not expecting to hear the words he said this soon. She struggled for a few seconds before she finally managed to finally gather enough of her composure to speak to the boy.

"You… you know you don't have to do this, Yarel, do this you don't have to! My parents promised you may stay here for far longer!" She said in a low voice, looking at the wide plains the cliff she and Yarel were standing on overlooked. The sky water had ended a good while ago and as the temperature began to fall again, the endless fields started to glimmer bright white which nearly blinded the fastrunner before she returned to look at Yarel. The male's face held a similar amount of melancholy as he prepared to speak.

"I know, Ruby, but there's no reason for us to stay as a burden to your family any longer. It… it would be better if we were on our way." He said vaguely even if the implications weren't lost on Ruby. Yarel's regret immediately revealed his true thoughts and it didn't take long for her to see what the other omnivore was really thinking.

"This is about Greentail, isn't it?" She said simply, not finding much more to say about the issue. Apparently the two siblings had discussed their future while she and her family were fighting against the longbeaks. Ruby was still shaken by how close she had come to actually losing her sister for good. Her heart still beat in pain as she thought what would have happened if things had went even a bit differently… but it was no use dwelling in the past for now. All that mattered was that those horrible things never came to pass. She was completely drawn back into the present as she saw Yarel nod glumly, his completely unmoving body revealing that this decision had not been his.

"It is, Ruby. At this point, it is clear she has recovered as well as she ever will and she wants to face the world as it, not living as the burden of all those around her. Even if I fear for what's to come… I understand her." He said, his expression revealing all the worries and fears that now swirled within his mind. Ruby felt sick beyond words as she thought about what would come next for the two siblings out there. She still felt responsible for all that had happened but… what was done was done. She had absolutely no right to question the thinclaws' decision and she took a step closer to Yarel before answering.

"In a way, I do too. But in any case, it was great to meet the two of you. I hope we will meet again someday. When are you planning to leave?" She asked while cocking her head in slight sorrow. She hadn't wanted to say goodbye just yet but sometimes, things won't go the way one had planned. Yarel frowned slightly before answering to the girl.

"Tomorrow morning. We will head towards the great lake and find some place where we can try to survive. At least, it cannot be any worse than our old forest." He said, trying to give a slight smile which nonetheless failed rather pitifully. Ruby nodded briefly before beginning her answer to the thinclaw.

"Alright. I can go check on you every once in a while. I'm sure you'll be fin…" She said before her eyes caught the sight of something which caused her to stop her sentence before finishing it. In the glimmering white fields could be seen a lonely figure whose blue plumage marked a clear contrast against the pale face of the world. Ruby's expression seemed to change from one extreme to another as she realized that her earlier concerns about her father's wellbeing has been misplaced. Here he was alive and that could only mean he had good news to tell! Ruby quickly turned back to Yarel before turning to head to meet his father.

"That's daddy! He's coming back and that means he didn't die from Chomper's parents' claws! And in that case, he must have managed to find out something interesting! Come on, Yarel!" She said, still remembering to keep her tone respectful to the thinclaw. Yarel frowned as he looked at Detras' form and turned tiredly at Ruby.

"I'd rather not. Just tell me if he tells anything of value, okay?" He asked, willing to spend this day in ease and to prepare for what was to come. Ruby looked a bit disappointed by the answer but after a few seconds, she nodded and sprinted away.

* * *

Deep gasps escaped Detras' mouth as he forced his leg to take another step in the deep cover of the ground sparkles, the journey to the sharpteeth and then back having exhausted him greatly. But that wasn't nearly the first thing in his mind as the sight of the Desolate Rise appeared ever more imposing before him. The symphony of physical fatigue and extreme mental anguish were his only companions as he was drawing ever closer to finish this journey of misery and horror. Soon, he'd have to face his family but he wondered whether he had the heart to do so.

More than once during his journey back to the Rise, Detras had thought that simply ending his miserable journey in this world could be preferable to… to killing her own daughter but even worse, the other option wasn't even worth considering. He couldn't leave his beloved mate tend to Arial and Orchid alone and his two other children didn't deserve to grow up without a father. But neither did the fastrunner know if he could look at his children in their eyes ever again. Whatever happened, he'd…

In a flicker of a second, Detras felt his legs lose their hold on the slippery ground and he fell into the ground, striking his jaw into the earth covered by the hard water, making his head ache even more. He was somewhat surprised to see that he was close to entering one of the passes leading into the Rise as he had been too preoccupied with his fears to pay his surroundings any attention. As he forced himself back to his feet, he suddenly heard a distant cry from one familiar fastrunner.

"Daddy! You're back! We already missed you so much!" Orchid cried as he and Arial, followed by Ruby and Pearl, ran towards the older male. Detras felt like anything but smiling right now but he knew he couldn't reveal what really happened to his three children and to do that, he would have to hide his true emotions as well. He took a deep breath to calm down and put on a slightly forced but surprisingly believable smile. He looked in happiness as Orchid and Arial ran towards him and heartily embraced them too as Ruby and Pearl stood a bit further. His voice was heavy but it could be fully attributed to his obvious fatigue.

"So did I! So did I. I wouldn't have let those two keep me away from all of you!" He said as he released the two younger omnivores of his embrace, giving his mate and Ruby also approving nods. His composure nearly fell as he saw Ruby's cheerful face looking expectantly upon him but he managed to prevent that. It was Pearl who next spoke, noticing the obvious proof Detras had of meeting the two predators.

"Well, what happened out there? Are you badly hurt?" She asked as she looked at the deep wounds in the male's thighs which were slowly starting to turn into scars. Detras seemed to twitch as he hadn't paid them much attention since he had parted with Dein and Terri. Yet, neither did he regard them to be of any interest in grand scheme of things and decided that there was no reason to prolong his "news" any longer.

"I'm completely fine, dear. I had already forgotten those scars myself. I received them as I was nearly caught by those two but they weren't just enough to prevent me from escaping from them. As for my quest, I think I found a way to prevent them from threatening us ever again." He forced the widest of smiles on his face for a second which immediately brought joy to the two younger children. Ruby, however, frowned slightly as she was old and experienced to see that not all was alright with her father's antics. They seemed rather… forced and she couldn't exactly see the joy in the way he moved his body overall. The girl had absolutely no reason to distrust her father but still… there was something in his antics she disliked. She took a slightly more careful tone as she answered to the male, not willing to consider the threat from Chomper's parents finished just yet. She stepped forward slowly as she spoke.

"That's great to hear, daddy, great to hear it is! But what is this way you're speaking of?" She asked, hiding her own concerns masterfully. She tried to look as cheerful and trusting as one would expect from her in this situation. However, her question wasn't well regarded in her father's mind. " _Killing you and presenting your dead body to Dein and Terri."_ He thought in never-ending self-loathing, almost giving the truthful answer in an attempt to escape his own guilt but he knew that wasn't an option. Instead, he continued to speak in the same tone as earlier.

"I found that their injuries are even worse than they seemed, Ruby, and it'd take at least until the dawn of the Warm Time until they can pose a threat to us. But even better, I found traces of other fastrunners around here who would mostly likely want to get rid of any wounded sharpteeth as well. I believe they'll be of help in the near future." Detras said, trying his very best to calm down to deliver his message as believably as possible. His voice could show a few signs of hesitation but this time, not even Ruby could notice them. Following her mate's words, Pearl joined the discussion if only to keep her appearances up. She knew more than well that none of her mate's words were true at this point but if she stayed completely silent, somebody would certainly notice it soon enough.

"That's marvelous news, Detras! Where do you think these other fastrunners are?" She asked, presenting a simple but obvious question. Detras nearly rolled his eyes at her mate's obviously faked question but managed to prevent it just in time. He sighed briefly before giving his answer to the female, buying himself a brief moment to come up with a believable lie.

"Most likely a day's journey north from here. Though it could be more if there comes more of these ground sparkles…" He said, while taking a better stance when his right leg started to slip slightly downhill. After his brief answer, Arial turned to look at her father and asked him in clear curiosity.

"Then shouldn't we go look for them immediately? Every minute that goes by, the bad sharpteeth will get better!" She asked in clear worry, the sight of Dein and Terri's murderous glances still causing her to shudder in fear. To that question, Detras would have let out a genuine laughter as the depth of Arial's baseless concern was even heartening for the older fastrunner if the situation weren't so very grave. In response, he bowed to the girl's level and spoke to her calmly, putting his hands against his knees.

"They won't recover that quickly, Arial. But you're right in that we don't have time to linger. I and your mother will start our search for them tomorrow, won't we dear?" He asked in fake curiosity from his mate and to his horror, it started to seem like Pearl would blow the duo's cover completely. It was becoming increasingly clear what the male would tell her soon as if he had actually succeeded in killing the two predators, he would have said so already. And that could only mean one thing… Pearl started to unknowingly take deeper and deeper breaths and it wasn't long until she started to hyperventilate in shock. All the eyes turned to the female who finally realized the unwanted attention as she struggled to stay on her feet. Orchid looked at his mother in horror, squeaking to her in concern.

"What's wrong, mommy? Please tell that you're alright!" He said as Pearl started to slowly calm down. The older fastrunner put all her willpower in calming down her nerves as her focus on her surroundings started to slowly return. Ruby moved to Orchid's side and spoke to her mother in a similar tone than her brother.

"What happened? Can you breathe? Please answer, mommy!" Ruby cried but what happened next was something that disturbed her without an end. As she tried to calm down, Pearl turned to her oldest daughter but her expression was one Ruby would never forget. Her mother looked at her with a look that bordered something between utter regret and fear, something that the older female would give to someone who had committed something horrifying… or to one who was in grave danger. Ruby took a few unconscious steps backwards before Pearl finally managed to give a coherent answer to her children.

"I… I'm fine. It was probably just this cold wind that made my breathing so difficult. It's nothing to worry about. And, Detras, I'm ready to leave tomorrow." She tried to look as normal as possible but even then, she wasn't fooling Ruby. It was clear to the latter that everything certainly wasn't fine with her mother. She could also see a clearly regretting look on her father's face. What the hell was going on? What were her parents hiding from her this urgently? Was… was there something important she didn't know? The girl couldn't say for sure but something about this entire situation made her blood run cold. Yet, Arial and Orchid didn't seem too bothered and Arial even broke the short silence with an almost happy voice.

"Let's hope so, mommy, because then all our concerns would be over! Daddy, we did as you told us! The longbeaks are long gone from these lands! All of us did a great job with them!" She exclaimed in pride, earning an eager nod from Orchid. Detras's eyes widened somewhat as he had completely forgotten the longbeaks but now that his daughter brought it up, that as good news at least. He smiled at Arial as he answered.

"Well done, all of you. That's one major problem dealt with! I look forward to hearing all about it sometime late but for now…"

"Behind you, daddy! What is that?" The aging male was suddenly interrupted by Ruby's awed voice and despite the interruption, he didn't waste a moment before turning around. If there was some other cursed sharptooth threatening his family, he'd make sure they'd regret it before…

However, what he saw made his jaw drop further than what he could remember in a long time. The northwestern sky was quickly being painted in red, blue and green in a way he had never seen before. The colors seemed to be dancing with each other, fighting for prominence in the wide, pale sky. It was still a bit dark, though, as it often was on Cold Times but that only reinforced the astonishing sight. Even Detras could find no words about it. He had heard stories about such things before but none of them seemed to match the majesty… or even the imposing feeling of this sight. He could only look in wonder before Ruby suddenly spoke again.

"Look at that… Daddy, what are they?" She voiced each of the three younger fastrunners' question as the colors seemed to only grow more profound. Detras frowned slightly as he attempted to remember just what he had been told about this phenomenon long ago… and that only made his uncertainty grow. However, he decided there was no reason not to tell what he had heard when he was but a child himself. His voice was low and thoughtful as he spoke again.

"I'm not sure, Ruby. I've never seen things like this before but if I remember right, I think my grandfather mentioned me of hearing about dancing colors filling the sky from farwalkers. But… he mentioned that such things could only be seen far, far in the north, further away than any of us could ever go. And judging by his words, they should have covered the entire skies but… but this seems as if it's coming from some clear location. In any case, that's some sight, certainly…" He said as he turned to look at the horizon below the colors. It seemed like they really were originating from spot somewhere far away which certainly made the fastrunner more than a little confused. He looked at them for a few more seconds… before they suddenly disappeared just as quickly as they had appeared.

Ruby had made similar observations and she was even more confused than her father. If even the Farwalkers hadn't been able to tell what those colors were, they had to be a great mystery. And if they originated from one point only, it should be possible to simply find that place. Except that it wasn't possible now that they had vanished for good. She sighed slightly before she spoke to the rest of her family.

"It was a great sight while it lasted. Well, at least it seemed like we were lucky to see it in the first place." She said shrugging slightly. She looked in amusement at the excitement of her siblings who seemed to still be struggling to calm down from the amazing sight. After a few seconds, Orchid spoke in a loud voice, not able to believe what he just saw.

"Didn't your grandpa know anything more of them, dad? Surely he must have heard more about those colors!" He said, causing Detras to sneer happily. He slowly turned to look at his son, answering to him softly.

"He heard that brief tale when he was about your age and I heard it from him when I was barely any older. But believe me when I say that I don't remember anything more myself." He said with a slight smile, remembering the happy days of his own youth. His mind was already drowned in his past when Arial then continued the interrogation her brother had started.

"You never told us anything bout your grandpa, daddy, except that the Rise used to be his home once. We'd like to hear more about him!" She said in excitement, always eager to hear more about the world as well as about her own family. Detras seemed a bit taken aback by the question and he nearly declined his younger daughter's request. Even if the colors had briefly took his attention, he still wasn't nearly on the mood to tell any tales on this day. All of his thoughts were focused on what was to come but… it was exactly those thoughts that caused him to start hesitating.

With sorrowful thoughts, he suddenly recalled his request from Dein and Terri. To be able to spend one last day with Ruby and have a chance to give his family one, last chance to be together. Even if it would be a real struggle to keep his composure up, he couldn't deny Arial and Orchid this final evening with their sister and besides, he was ready to make Ruby's last day as happy as he simply could. He nearly choked at those most horrifying thoughts but Detras knew he owed that much to all of his family. After a short while, he breathed deep and spoke to the other fastrunners in a seemingly happy voice.

"Why not? There are far too many things he told me to recite all of them to you but I guess I can tell one or two of them. But before that, let's head for home. We'll be safer in there." He said, shuddering slightly as he felt the wind rise in the surrounding plains. Arial and Orchid seemed somewhat impatient but they, too, understood their father's point. Orchid cocked his head slightly as he cried to the rest of his family.

"Well then, come on! Let's not waste any time!"

* * *

After the short trek, Ruby ruffled her plumage before sitting into the stony floor of the deep cave. The temperature was still unpleasantly cold but at least the walls of sheltered her and her family from the wind. As she slowly calmed down, she noticed just how similar this place was to the Hanging Rock. The cave was almost exactly as narrow and from both of them opened imposing views over the surrounding lands.

An inescapable wave of nostalgia washed over her as she looked at her siblings and parents sit down in a circle. If she had been Arial and Orchid's age and they that much younger, she could have been excused for believing she had returned to those past seasons in the Hanging Rock, spending her sheltered and rather carefree childhood. The cold seemed to disappear from her mind as she forced her earlier fears about her parents' behavior from her mind, now only concentrating on relishing this moment with her family. Her father received Ruby's undivided attention as he finally started to speak, the shade of the cave creating an even atmosphere for the incoming story.

"So, what is it you want to know?" He asked simply, willing to hear if there were any clear subjects his children would want to hear about. The dueling sentiments within his mind made his efforts to stay calm extremely difficult but he attempted to think of this situation as a pleasant while with his family even if he knew those kinds of thoughts were impossible to maintain in the long run. Still, he'd do his best to give the three young fastrunners the best time he simply could. Orchid seemed eager to answer but to his slight chagrin, Arial was the first one who opened her mouth after her father finished.

"You never told us really anything about your daddy's daddy so you probably know him better than we. So you may decide what you wish to tell us!" She cried in excitement, causing Detras' eyes to widen somewhat as he turned to look at ceiling, deep in thought. What in earth could he tell about his grandfather that could be of any interest to his children? Looking at Orchid's demanding face, he felt out of ideas first before he finally remembered one little story that could interest his family. He then took a somewhat happy face as his mind drifted to times long gone by.

"Very well. I think I might have something in mind. But please understand that my memory might be a bit hazy as I was hardly your age before my grandfather, whose real name was Swiftsprint headed into the Great Beyond. But I still remember how much he loved to tell me stories of his youth when he and a small group of other fastrunners fought to outwit all the sharpteeth they met. It sounded so very interesting to me and every time, he mentioned how deeply he missed this place. He had lived out here all his life, fighting for his lot in life, or so he had told.

But what I'm going to tell you isn't going to concern those sharpteeth. Rather, it is a tale of how he and his companions safeguarded their own safety and how dangerous life was back then even if Swiftsprint and the others did their very best to protect each other. However, this story was very special for him as it was on that distant day when he found his mate, my grandmother. Now, it all started on one very early Warm Time's day…

* * *

 _The air was still somewhat cool even if the land was slowly starting to regain its green cover. First of the flowers were fighting to begin blooming under the returning rays of the Bright Circle, a sight that was more than capable of rousing a young fastrunner's spirit without an end. Swiftsprint smiled in expectation as he felt his feet touch moss and grass instead of the cursed ground sparkles which had been his and the other omnivores for a time which had once seemed like an eternity. Now, however, things seemed as sweet as the wide, glimmering lake in front of him. The waters went on as far as he could see and even if he had lived his entire life on these plains, he hadn't yet learned where the other shore of the massive lake actually lied. And today, he didn't even care._

" _Greetings, Swiftsprint! Have anything we should know?" One other fastrunner cried not far from him, causing him to grin slightly as his legs sank into the waters, followed by a quick strike from his claws which immediately penetrated a small scaly swimmer in the water. The young omnivore looked at the animal's struggles die out before he turned to look at the other, yellowish fastrunner slowly._

" _Nope! The last days have passed without any sharptooth making an appearance anywhere! There is no imminent danger in sight from anywhere!" He exclaimed as he swallowed his prey in one, single bite. He shuddered slightly from the still-chilly water as he waded deeper into the lake, more than determined to sate his hunger for the rest of the day when he had the chance. He looked into the distance, seeing almost a dozen halfteeth here and there with similar plans. He was just about to start another effort to catch his prey when he suddenly heard another voice not far behind him._

" _At least to most, it seems. It's just a shame not all of us are that lucky." A feminine voice said behind him in an annoyed, even angered voice. Swiftsprint immediately frowned slightly at those words, turning to look at the newcomer in slight surprise. His thoughts were further complicated as he saw her drag a carcass of a domehead with her. He waited for a few seconds before speaking to the female._

" _What do you mean by that, Redcrest? And why do you have that domehead with you?" He asked, not hiding his surprise and uncertainty about the other fastrunner's motives. She stopped after a few seconds and finally left the dead domehead lie in the ground before answering to the dumbstruck male._

" _Well, maybe you are safe around here but not all of us as content simply staying around here all their lives! The thing is, however, that I wasn't. I tried to explore a bit further to the south to see if the would be anything of interest for us out there. I did found another lake, true but… that was when one sharptooth found me." She said in an annoyed look, her reaction surprising the surrounding omnivores rather severely. Going exploring on her own? That was one thing she would have to be thankful for actually surviving such a folly! There were many pitying, even condemning looks before one of the gathered dinosaurs cried to the female in a sneer._

" _And what happened then? You somehow escaped from the beast's belly?" The thinclaw cried, causing Redcrest's face fall even further. In response, she snorted deeply before she continued to speak to the other dinosaurs._

" _That would have been a story worth telling, wouldn't it? In fact, the sharptooth nearly got me but he, too, knew he might get a better deal by sparing than simply having me for a lunch. In return, he demanded a bigger meal he couldn't catch himself like… one of the giantjaws of this lake! Now, who's with me?" She announced, causing some of her audience's faces to turn to fright and some to deeper mockery. To think someone would come to actually hope to catch the swimmer who only a select few had even claimed to see! Redcrest frowned slightly before she heard the first answer to her comment._

" _If that was your deal, then prepare to pay for it with your life! Promising to catch something that may not exist isn't a way to ensure you live to see your old days!" Another of the fastrunners cried, causing some of them to turn around and leave the poor fool to face her fate alone. If that was her chance to escape certain death, she was as good as a goner._

* * *

"Why would they say that? You've always told us to respect our family and friends in any way we can!" Arial snapped in clear uncertainty. It just didn't make any sense to her. Orchid frowned slightly at that too but Detras' expression didn't communicate any surprise at that question. Instead, he turned to look directly at Arial to satisfy her curiosity.

"Indeed I have and you must never forget that lesson. However, judging from Swiftsprint's words, those were very different times around Desolate Rise. There was just enough food for our kind and wandering leafeaters but the speed with which we caught them discouraged the sharpteeth from approaching this place. And in that environment, the fastrunners had absolutely no reason to form clear herds or even packs and that is exactly the reason nobody was prepared to help Redcrest. The others weren't prepared to exchange their own security because of some other's mistake." He said, astonished how well he remembered this story he had heard so very long ago. He was somewhat surprised to hear Ruby speak next who looked at her siblings with a somewhat amused look.

"That's something we also should remember. There might be things to be gained by helping others but our kind doesn't live long with stupid risk, live long we won't! Finding the balance between them is very difficult, though." She ended with a thoughtful tone. Her father nodded at her briefly before continuing to speak.

"That's right and that's something my grandfather had to decide as well. Anyway…"

* * *

 _Swiftsprint looked around himself in clear hesitation. Redcrest's tale had been a surprising one and deep down, he was somewhat impressed by the courage she had shown in her efforts to widen her world even at the risk she had taken. Still, he wasn't exactly excited to help her just yet. After a while, he asked her carefully._

" _Are you serious? I mean… the giantjaws might be just a story! None of us has ever seen one of them!" Swiftsprint spread his hands in an asking fashion, willing to hear everything the other fastrunner had to say. He wasn't in a hurry today and if she had something of interest to propose him, there was no reason to turn the offer down. Redcrest snorted at the male before answering, eying at the departing omnivores in annoyance._

" _Even if they aren't really real, I'm sure that cursed sharptooth can accept even a bit smaller swimmer. You know, as I said, I need all the help I can get. Are you willing to assist me?" She asked impatiently, willing to get this thing over with. Swiftsprint scratched his head slightly, wondering how to answer to the female. After a moment, he asked the only question most of his kind would ask._

" _And what's that up for me? Large scaly swimmers are often more dangerous than most of us would think." He said simply, willing to hear all of the female's proposition. Redcrest sighed audible at the question before she finally answered to the light-blue fastrunner._

" _Of course, I will repay this debt to you in some way in the future. I wouldn't ever ask anyone to do anything for me for nothing. But now, Swiftsprint, are you with me or shall I proceed without you?" She asked, starting to drag the dead domehead closer to the shore, clearly expecting an imminent answer. The rather short male stared at the other omnivore, knowing she was an honest if reckless dinosaur. The two had met each other many times in the past but they were little more than mere acquittances. At first, Swiftsprint was close to declining his counterpart's idea but soon after, another thought rose to his mind._

 _Did he have any real reason to pass this opportunity to earn a friend and have some kind of help in the future in case he ran into a dangerous situation. He had been told to look after himself most of all but in his heart, he felt like this was a risk worth taking. He was still wondering when Redcrest called again._

" _You better snap out of it if you wish to help! If not, get out of my way!" She cried, clearly anxious about what was to happen soon. Swiftpsrint twitched noticeably as he turned to look at the female again._

" _Very well. I doubt I have too much to lose anyway. What have you planned to do?" He asked, causing Redcrest to stop and turn back to look at the other fastrunner, finally revealing a look that resembled something like a smile. She then walked towards the blue omnivore and spoke to him in a much friendlier voice._

" _You have my gratitude, Swiftsprint. Now, about my idea…_

* * *

 _Slight shudders could be seen all around Swiftsprint's body as he looked at his companion wade ever deeper into the water. She was pulling the dead domehead with her as a bait and she would open the poor dinosaur's neck arteries when she thought it was the best time to lure the beast of the depths from its slumber. The male stood nearby, leaning against a long-dead tree which would with any luck hit the beast when it finally showed itself. The water grew deeper very quickly beyond the shore so it could come very close to the surface and thus, to the range of the falling tree._

 _Even if she had put on a tough look when she had addressed the rest of the omnivores, it was now clear to everyone following the scene that Redcrest was beyond horrified by what she was doing. As she looked at the quickly darkening waters, she could only imagine about a suddenly-appearing set of teeth that would tear her body to pieces before she could even twitch her arms. She nearly jumped as a tiny scaly swimmer jumped near her and for a moment, she thought of simply giving up but… she knew well that wasn't an option either._

 _The memory of her meeting with the massive sharptooth still bothered her greatly and she had no doubts about his ability to track her down and end her life with one, brutal move. As she thought of that meeting, she knew she had but one way to proceed, She put her claws against her hapless victim's throat and quickly, opened the veins still containing some of the dead dinosaur's lifeblood. The fastrunner stared with a haunted look as the water around her started to turn red, slowly engulfing her in a circle of crimson. Her heart skipped a beat or two as she looked towards the depths, waiting for the inevitable. None of the other fastrunners looking at the scene seemed to take a breath as they looked at the scene in complete silence._

 _Seconds passed slowly and the blood around the female seemed to quickly begin to dissipate. Redcrest was slowly starting to breath more easily, starting to think that everything was well, that nothing was on its way. Her mind started to already drift to the question about what she would tell the sharptooth or what she could catch instead to placate his wrath. She was just about to turn around towards the shore when she suddenly heard a massive crunch just before her. Before she had the time to see just what had happened, she saw the massive jaws crush the domehead's body to a thousand tiny bits. She cried in fear as she jumped slightly backwards._

" _Swiftsprint, do it now! I'll keep it still!"_

* * *

"Do… do you mean there are such monsters in that lake right now?" Orchid asked while swallowing deeply. He had never before seen such a big water and he had never even thought that such massive creatures could lurk that close to his home. He looked at the lake's direction in apparent fear, looking rather miserable all of a sudden. Detras smiled slightly before he answered to his son.

"Well, it might be possible that grandfather might have exaggerated a bit but even then, I don't see any reason why there wouldn't be such creatures down there. But I doubt they'll be of any danger to us if we don't bring dead domeheads into the water." He smiled while looking at his children cover in clear fear. Pearl looked at them in sympathy before comforting them in a warm voice.

"And to make sure, don't go swim out there if you have any kinds of wounds. Some of the bigger scaly swimmers tend to smell its prey's blood if it's released into the water. At least that's what many fastrunners from the shores of the Big Water told us." The aging female said with a wide smile. Her words seemed to calm the children down somewhat but she was suddenly taken aback by a haunted, distant look from Ruby. It seemed like her mind to some distant past but her thoughts weren't a mystery to her family for too long.

"My friends once told they had met such a massive scaly swimmer or as they called it, a swimming sharptooth. They said it happened when they were trying to escape Chomper's island long before he was forced to come live with us. They said that beast was one of the most dreadful and brutal sharpteeth they had ever met and that they would all have been slaughtered hadn't they still been so very close to the shore. The whole story of how they came to know Chomper was one that always interested me greatly." She said, clearly saddened. She sat still in deep thought for a few seconds before her mother moved to her side and put her hand on her back, attempting to comfort her daughter even if that made her feel even more enraged towards herself.

"Now, calm down, Ruby. It'll get better with time." She said, knowing there was nothing more she could say at this point. Ruby cast a melancholic look at her mother before nodding solemnly. Detras looked at Ruby in deep regret but decided to go on with his tale.

"As I was saying, that was one of the most horrifying moments in my grandparents' lives. What followed was something neither of them had prepared for…

* * *

 _A look of horror rose to Swiftsprint's face as he looked at the massive back of the swimming sharptooth rise to the surface and the female's horrified attempts to attack the predators. The bluish omnivore wasted no time starting to pull the dead tree down, knowing that he had the strength required to pull its dead branches from the ground and send the long-withered tree towards the swimmer. He looked in relief as he looked at it fall ever more clearly towards the lake and after a few seconds, he saw the branch starting to fall towards the two belligerents ever so slowly. He cried at the other halftooth with an urgent voice as he started to run towards her._

" _Look out! It's coming!"_

 _The male's voice hardly reached Redcrest's ears as she attempted to lure the swimmer closer to the shore. She felt sick beyond words as she looked at the remains of the domehead's viscera float all around her, the rest of the late dinosaur already devoured by the massive beast. The fastrunner could barely dodge the predator's attack but she knew she had no choice at this point. Either she'd beat this opponent or she'd fall by the other sharptooth's hand. However, as she noticed a shadow fall over her, she finally noticed that her companion had been successful. In the last possible moment, she jumped off from the falling tree's way, allowing it to hit the swimmer with its full power. A loud screech could be heard as the predator's head was hit by the massive branch which furthermore caused its head to hit the bottom of the shallow shore._

 _With great efforts, the swimming sharptooth attempted to turn around and escape deeper into the water but Redcrest was just in time to prevent it. She quickly grabbed a large stone from the bottom and hit it with all her power at the sharptooth's water leg, knowing that would complicate the beast's efforts to escape greatly. And indeed, its battle to save itself grew only more violent by the second as its attempts to move its water leg only resulted in massive pain. Swiftsprint could see this as well as he, too, rushed into the water to help the female and he grabbed another stone and hit it right at the creature's head. Another roar escaped the hapless predator's mouth as another heavy blow landed in its skull, realizing it had no choice but to flee at any cost. The swimmer's entire body tensed as it prepared for a dash to safety but Redcrest knew she'd have to prevent it by any means necessary._

 _With a brutality she had seldom seen from even a sharptooth, the fastrunner tore into the sharptooth's side, determined to do all she could to ensure it met its end here and now. However, that determination would have likely turned into hesitation if she knew just what would happen soon enough._

 _With a powerful pull, the swimmer forced its body to a quick dash, even that forced pull caused many more wounds to appear into its belly as it scraped against the many sharp rocks of the bottom. Yet, even now, Redcrest wasn't about to give up and she grabbed to the beast with all her efforts, causing more and more damage to it by the second. However, when she was pulled under the surface, her courage turned into utter horror. Her claws had been stuck inside the creature and she couldn't pull herself free._

 _The fastrunner's eyes widened in fear as she saw the surface grow ever more distant. Now, she realized she had failed but at least she could still try to save herself. She brought her legs against the monstrous creature and with herculean efforts, she finally managed to tear her way away from the creature's innards. She looked as the sharptooth disappeared into the depths, before she turned around to head to the surface. However, after a few more seconds, she realized the full magnitude of her failure. No matter what she did, her struggles grew weaker and her vision fainter as she reached towards the light so very close to her… before her arm fell back towards her limp body._

 _That sight had shocked Swiftsprint without an end as he looked at the ripples emanating from the point the swimmer had disappeared into. He was left to stare wide-eyed at the spot his companion had disappeared into, not truly willing to believe what had just happened. To think this was the end for Redcrest… to be dragged into those haunting depths… no, that couldn't be true! She could still be alive and if so, he had to make sure she would stay that way! Completely overlooking any threats to himself, the omnivore jumped deeper into the water._

 _The cold water made every part of his body shiver horrible as the frigid touch seemed to invade his very heart. However, that couldn't be helped as he looked at the deep blue waters around himself. Time was running out if he wanted to safe the other fastrunner. Where in earth could she be…_

 _The male twitched as he suddenly saw a dark form a bit below him which seemed to be floating around, with no obvious movements to be seen. Swiftsprint's eyes widened as he realized it was a fastrunner and that there were no obvious injuries in her body. With any luck, he might still be able to save her. The bluish omnivore wasted no time in grabbing the female's hand and immediately heading back for the surface. However, as he did so, he finally realized that might be easier said than done._

 _The unconscious fastrunner weighed immensely and Swiftsprint felt his strength grow closer to failing. For a fleeting moment, he thought of simply saving himself as his own breath was also growing short. Yet, he new he couldn't do that as Redcrest's very life was hanging in the balance. Swiftsprint narrowed his eyes and concentrated all of his remaining strength into one, final push… The fastrunner felt his lungs ache and pulse sickeningly in his chest as every last bit of his body cried for air. The male did his all to ignore his own pain one second at a time… until he suddenly felt the cool breeze of wind touch his snout after which he took a deep gasp as he attempted to regain control over his body. He quickly swam towards the shore and he nearly collapsed on top of his belly as he put Redcrest beside him. Every muscle within his body ached as his lungs took every last breath it simply could. Yet, he didn't forget his companion and he immediately moved to look at the seemingly lifeless female. A look of concern rose to his eyes as he moved towards her and put his hands on her chest._

" _This isn't the end for you, Redcrest! I know it!" He said as he pushed her for a few times, slowly starting to lose hopes that he had any chance to save her anymore. He was just give up and accept reality… until his gloomy thoughts were interrupted by a massive barrage of water from Redcrest's mouth. She started to twitch likely as she rolled to her side to vomit more of the water away from her innards. Swiftsprint moved to her side to help her calm down as her gasps started to ease slightly._

" _Are you alright? Answer me!" He demanded, greatly relieved by that development. He hadn't met Redcrest many times before but during those times he had grown to respect, even like, the slightly taller fastrunner. The crimson-colored female looked at Swiftsprint with a haunted look, noticing the tool the rescue had taken on her companion. After a few more seconds, she finally answered the obvious question._

" _I… I think so, damnit! That… that bastard nearly got me!" She said as she put a hand on her aching head, trying to end the pain as quickly as possible. If Swiftsprint felt miserable, Redcrest felt like a thousand thorns were penetrating her body while having being battered by a threehorn. Still, she knew she would make it now that she was on dry land. Bit by bit, her memories of her encounter started to return to her mind which made her shudder in fear. The male rose with shaky feet to an upright position as he nodded to the brighter-colored fastrunner._

" _I'm sorry that the giantjaw managed to escape. There was nothing either of us…" He began when he suddenly heard some odd noise come from the lake. It was a soft, gurgling ground and as he turned to see at its direction, his eyes turned as wide as he simply could open them. The lifeless form of the once-mighty predator slowly appeared back to the surface not far from the shore. The male's widened as he stared at the sight, never expecting such a thing to happen. He gasped audibly before turning to look at Redcrest again. The two looked at each other for a short while before exchanging heartfelt smiles. Their efforts had not been for naught after all._

* * *

"What? Didn't you just say that the giantjaw escaped?" Arial asked in slight puzzlement. Ruby couldn't completely hide her amusement even if the earlier melancholy still lingered over her.

"Well, daddy told it was badly wounded so I'd guess that it died shortly after it disappeared from Redcrest's sight. It seemed like she hurt the swimmer big time." She said while turning at his father who nodded to her briefly. He waited for a few seconds before giving his answer.

"That is most likely what happened, Ruby. However, that was the first time when those two realized just how well they worked together and as Redcrest promised, she would help Swiftsprint again in the future when he needed help in return. Bit by bit, they grew inseparable and they would eventually become mated to each other. My grandfather told me of many of the things they went through in these lands." He said, looking as the hues of darkness started to overcome the short day of the Cold Time. He was glad that he had managed to finish his story believably without any major breakups in his composure. However, Ruby was not completely satisfied just yet, a fact that nearly caused a sigh erupt from the older fastrunner.

"But… if he really liked this place so much and he even had a mate here, why in earth did he move away from here towards Hanging Rock? It doesn't make sense, make sense it doesn't." She said, willing to hear this final part of the tale as a way to wrap up her father's grandfather's story in a satisfying way. Despite his initial chagrin, Detras was actually happy to hear such a question.

"Well, I'm sure he never wanted to take such a step but he was left with no choice. You see, only a few seasons after the events I just described, this land began to change. The Warm Times grew dryer and hotter which killed most of the green food here, forcing many of our kind to search for other lands that could sustain them. So did Swiftsprint and Redcrest even if neither of them wanted to do it. To be honest, I never was sure if things had gotten better here since those days but I was willing to take a chance considering Red Claw's threat.

Anyway, that journey took a great toll on both of them but even greater for Redcrest. The two stopped to a place rather near the Valley when it was time for her to lay her eggs but… the lack of food and spreading illnesses got her shortly afterwards. I would have wanted to meet my grandmother too but I never got that chance or neither did my own parents." He said rather glumly as he thought about his own mother and father who had been caught by the sharpteeth not long after Ruby's birth. The happiness he remembered at seeing their first grandchild had heartened him greatly but sadly, the fate had robbed the opportunity to see her grow or Orchid and Arial enter the world.

A short moment of respect and slight melancholy passed as a cold gust entered the cave, making each of the fastrunners shiver noticeably. Orchid especially seemed to be suffering from the cold but that didn't stop him from voicing his gratitude to his father.

"That was quite a tale, dad! It was great to learn more about our family even if those things happened long ago! Thanks for telling us what you know!" He said with a smile, followed by other, similar comments from the rest of his family. A genuine smile rose to Detras' face as he slowly rose to his feet, knowing this gathering was over. He nodded to the others, speaking in a rather low voice.

"Of course, Orchid. I owe it as much to Swiftsprint to relay his memory to my children as I do to you to provide a pleasant evening in the middle of all that has happened. In fact, I should be thanking you for giving an old fastrunner like me a chance to speak about my younger days." He smiled half-jokingly, slowly turning around to face the darkening night and the dark shadows of the hills surrounding the Rise, knowing that the time for happy chatter and time for his family to spend time together had passed. Now, the hell would have to begin. Only with great efforts did he managed to keep his composure together as he nodded towards his mate.

"Pearl, there are things I think we should discuss concerning you and the longbeaks and how we should proceed from now on. Children, I bet you are tired after everything that happened today. We'll return a bit later so be at ease." He said, waving the aging female to follow him. His face was stoic and Ruby noticed how very quickly his mood dropped after he had finished the story. However, she decided to cast aside those thoughts for now and she only nodded at the two grownups in understanding.

"Alright but don't linger too long out there! It could be a cold night." She said simply, welcoming the thought of a well-earned rest as did both of her siblings. Pearl's face fell slightly as she heard her daughter's words but with great efforts, she manage to keep calm as she answered.

"We won't, Ruby. We'll see all of you tomorrow morning at the very latest." She said before the two adult omnivores headed down the stone ramp leading to the top of the central hill of the Desolate Rise, leaving the three children alone.

* * *

Minutes after minutes passed but for some reason, he simply didn't manage to get to sleep. Every time he got close, some sharp stone hit his back or another frigid gust nearly froze him alive. He looked his two sisters, deeply jealous of their ability to seize this ability to rest without any problems whereas he was left awoke to curse at every moment that seemed to make his efforts to sleep all the more desperate as more time passed. If this continued, he'd be dead-tired tomorrow and the whole day would be ruined. However, with deep curses, the boy realized that he simply couldn't enter the world of sleep stories right now.

With an annoyed look, he rose to a sitting position and glanced at his siblings. He had always hated being the last one to fall to sleep but sometimes, it simply couldn't be helped. Orchid cringed deeply as he rose to his feet and headed towards the opening to the cave. A short walk to calm his nerves even in the cold night was better than to simply lie here in ever-worsening despair. He cringed slightly as he remembered his misadventure last Cold Time when he nearly fell victim to the harsh winds of the Cold Time when he had tried to help his family with the warming fuzz. That journey had turned into a nightmare after which Orchid had learned to fear the raw power of the season. Now, however, he felt that his situation was annoying enough to brave the night for a short walk.

The boy cringed slightly as he felt his foot start to slip forward but with great efforts, Orchid managed to stay on his feet. However, afterwards he turned to look at the many lesser lights of the sky, thinking about everything that had happened today. From his confrontation with the longbeaks to the good news from his father and the sky colors as well as the story… yes, today had been a great day despite the brief moments of danger with the sharpteeth.

Tonight, it seemed like all of the problems that had loomed in the horizon this morning were dealt with. Both of the sharptooth threats had disappeared but the colors still lingered with the fastrunner's mind. Even if Detras had claimed to know about them, it still seemed to him like they had emanated from some single place, a detail which made him wonder… he shared his sister's curiosity about the world and in the bottom of his stomach, clear interest started to form concerning that phenomenon. However, now the sky was completely black save for the Night Circle and the endless spots of small lights which made Orchid smile slightly.

After a minute at looking around himself, Orchid finally moved on. Even if he hated the cold and the slippery hard water under the ground sparkles, he still loved the way the world of the Cold Time looked. The glimmering white cover of the land sending its reflection into the dark sky was a magical sight which filled him with joy even if the winds were slowly starting to get under his plumage and besides, the darkness made it very easy to get lost in these hills even if he knew the paths and corridors through the many parts of this area as well as he knew them on Hanging Rock. It wouldn't be long before the cold would really get to his bones but still, Orchid thought of going on just a little further.

He listened as his feet sank into the white cover of the earth one step after another, the cold wind slowly making him feel a bit sleepy than earlier. Certainly, he could soon…

"…you promised me, Detras! You promised to do everything in your power so we could avoid this!" A horrified, close to a panicked voice suddenly reached Orchid's ears from his left side, behind another hill which made the sound almost too quiet for the boy to hear but he could without a mistake make out that it belonged to his mother. What had happened? Why was she so upset? Orchid could feel his heart start beating harder in his chest as he headed towards his mother but before he made his presence known, he could hear his father answer the female's hysteric words.

"And I promise you I did! I attacked them as I told and I nearly got Terri before Dein came to her help! I risked my life more than once and I will not hear you claiming I didn't give my all!" Detras cried, making Orchid cover deeply into the ground. But… his father had only gone to spy at Chomper's parents, right? Why in earth was his father suddenly saying he had fought them? What… what was going on?

"Then your "best" was worth nothing! Did you even think your failure would affect us others? Do you have any idea how much it hurts Orchid and Ar…"

"Do you have any idea how much that trash hurts me? Pearl, we already decided we'd do this! Dein gave us until tomorrow to do this or we'll all be killed before long!" Orchid covered even deeper behind the stone he was hiding behind. Now he was really growing worried. Had his parents really lied about everything to him and his siblings? Why? They had shared everything, both good and bad, with their children before so why was this situation any different? Even worse, the boy had never seen his parents this upset about anything. They had fought before, true, but never before had they been this livid and scared of anything before. His thoughts grew only darker when he heard his mother speak again.

"We did speak of this before but I ask you again, Detras, are you really, truly ready to do this?! ARE YOU?!" She cried as loudly as she could which only caused the hateful look on Detras' face grew more profound. He took a few seconds to consider his answer and it was much more constrained than the female's.

"If I have to do it to protect the rest of you, I am. But believe me when I say, I would end my own life rather than to be forced to kill Ruby. And I know you'd do the same." He said, offering his hand as a gesture of acceptance to his mate. However, they were those words that finally brought Orchid's world crashing down. His parents were… planning to kill Ruby? B… but why? H… how could they even… The boy simply stared at the stone before him, his mind unable to process what he had just heard. Everything felt just… empty. Dream… no, nightmare-like. He breathed deeply as he heard his mother speak again.

"I certainly would, Detras! I care about all of you more than you can even imagine! But I'm not sure my heart was in my words when I agreed to your proposal. I… I was there to watch her hatch, witnessing her first smile… how could I agree to that? Yet… I know that's something we have to do." At this point, tears started to fall from Orchid's eyes as he leaned against the rock, his desperate breaths slowly growing deeper but also less frequent. His parents talking about murdering his beloved sister behind her back without a good reason…

"It certainly is, Pearl. Either we will have two children or we'll have none. The pain will go away in time. I promise, my love." He said, as he wrapped his hands around his mate who sobbed inconsolably against his shoulder. Both of them would have wanted to collapse to the ground and simply decide against moving on. Bur Detras knew he was bound to his family with far more bonds than he could ever imagine and Pearl knew she'd do anything to grow old with her beloved mate and beautiful twins. The two consoled each other with their touch than they ever could with words, giving each other just enough courage to move on.

Orchid's entire world seemed to start crumbling all around him. All he could see was the dark surface of the rock as his mind raced in his outrage and despair. What could he do? Who could he turn to? His parents had just done something he'd never forgive them. How could they even imagine of killing Ruby "in order to save the others". What the hell? Slowly, Orchid grew more fearful than sorrowful as he started to think of the implications. How long would it take for the two to begin sacrificing their other children for some supposed greater good? At this point, no wisdoms his parents had told him were in his mind, only the utter emptiness of betrayal and disbelief. There was only one thing to do: the boy turned around and headed into the night while his parents slowly broke their embrace. Pearl sniffed heavily before turning back at her mate.

"H… how shall we do this? We cannot let Orchid and Arial learn the truth… it would break their hearts." She said with a wavering voice, looking at a twinkling lesser light of the sky far over her. Any trace of beauty in this horror story helped in preventing her complete mental collapse. Detras moved on her side before turning her gaze back towards him. He whispered in a silent voice, not having to underline his own resignation and sorrow.

"Of course we cannot. There's only one way to do it: to ask her to come with us and… hope she will understand everything before… before it happens. We'll have tell Arial and Orchid that it was a sharptooth that got her. That's all that we can do." He said, choking heavily as he thought about what was to happen. He was in ease with his actions with Dein and Terri earlier as he did absolutely everything in his power to avoid this debacle. But… sometimes he wasn't given a choice. Pearl looked at him for a short while before nodding at him briefly. She clearly struggled to speak but after a while, she finally managed to form some kind of answer.

"It is, dear. Let's do it now. If… if I have to wait for any longer, I don't know what I'll do. This nightmare has to end." She said before earning a brief nod from the male. He knew that nothing he would say would change anything so he decided to simply imply his agreement without words. There was no turning back now. Both of the fastrunners knew that they were doing this for the sake of their family and in the end, only their ancestors and the Night Circle would decide if they did the right thing or not.

* * *

Deep breaths of fear escaped from Orchid's mouth as he forced himself back to his feet after another slippery spot of hard water below the ground sparkles. No coherent thoughts swirled in his mind, only primal feelings of horror and hopelessness. He had absolutely no idea what he'd have to do after this night but for now, he would have to warn Ruby at all costs. He looked in expectation as the mouth of the cave grew closer to him and after a few seconds, he panted in gratefulness as he felt the frigid wind stop around himself. But those feelings were now only fit to be cast aside as the form of his older sister came to his sight. Right now, he was grateful that Arial was a heavy sleeper as he didn't want anyone else get involved in this mess, at least not yet. He ran quickly to Ruby's side and pulled her arm in order to catch her attention.

"Ruby, please, wake up now! WAKE UP!" He said as he pulled her harder, knowing time was off the essence. Slowly, the girl's eyes opened as the cover of sleep started to drift from her mind. She turned immediately to Orchid whose horrified gaze woke her up immediately.

"What's wrong, Orchid? Why did you wake me up?" She asked, growing increasingly worried as she looked at her brother's fearful face. What had happened? At first she thought he must have had a bad sleep story but… her brother had never been this disturbed before. She rose to her feet to face the younger fastrunner, willing to get into the bottom of this immediately. However, the answer she received was beyond her worst dreams. Orchid kept his voice silent but his tone was hysteric and each gesture he let out only deepened his sense of mental distress.

"Mommy… daddy… THEY'VE GONE MAD! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL YOU!" He nearly cried, tears falling down his cheeks. He looked at his sister nearly pleadingly, starting to sob inconsolably as Ruby looked at him in concern and puzzlement. What? What had he just said? Certainly, he must be only confused by something that happened in his dreams. She took a more comforting voice and tried to put her hand on Orchid's shoulder.

"Calm down, Orchid. You must have only seen it in your sleep stories. You know mommy and dad…" She started but the boy immediately wiped her hand away from his shoulders and looked at his sister with teary eyes. She wasted no time giving her his answer which, if anything, sounded even more desperate than before.

"I heard it with my own ears, Ruby! You have to believe me! I… I was having a hard time sleeping and… and then I went out to talk and… they were there! I heard it all! Please, listen to me!" He pleaded, burying his head in Ruby's chest as the girl put her hands around him, looking before her in utter shock. Certainly, Orchid must have been mistaken. There was no way either of her parents would even consider such a thing. Even thinking such a thing was ridiculous but even then… she could see how very distressed her brother was. Chills crept down her spine as she tried to calm down and think clearly. After a moment, she whispered to Orchid in a silent voice.

"Where did you see this all, Orchid? Tell me everything." She said, slowly turning to look at her brother who showed no signs of calming down. After a small moment, he wailed his answer as he his cries grew more severe.

"There's no time! They're coming for you! I heard them only say they're willing to kill you in order to protect the rest of us!" He cried, making Ruby's eyes widen in realization. So that was it. Had Chomper's parents actually agreed to let the rest of her family to be safe if she was dead along with Chomper? Now, it all made so much more sense… her father's odd quest to look for the sharpteeth, her parents' odd behavior earlier today… Tears appeared to Ruby's eyes too as she understood what it was all about, even if she had never expected her parents to go that far. After many seconds of staring into the dark night, she pulled Orchid further away from her and knelt to his height, putting both of her hands on his shoulders. Her voice wavered greatly as she spoke but her gaze was unhinged by the obvious swirl of emotions within her mind.

"Orchid, listen to me. Thank you for telling me all of this but if what you tell me is true, I have no choice but to agree with mommy and daddy. All of this mess is my fault and if I have to pay for it, then all is as it has to be. I've wronged far too many dinosaurs in my days and I'm more than ready to at least make some of them right. There were times I didn't expect to make it even far enough to meet you again." She said, the swelling whirlpool of emotions making her hands shake. She meant every word she said even if she hated herself without an end for saying them. To think this night would be her last… it was completely unbelievable and something Ruby's taxed mind couldn't even start to process properly. However, it wasn't long before Orchid snapped back at her, his eyes wide shock and disappointment.

"You cannot be serious, Ruby! You cannot just throw your life away like that! Don't you remember all the times we've had together? Don't you see any reason to go on? Also, I don't know much about them but I'm sure your old friends in the Valley also would want you to go on!" He said, taking a few steps back in clear fear and disbelief, not wanting to believe his ears. To think Ruby had just said what she had… it hurt him almost as deeply as his parents' words. Had everybody just gone crazy? His parents had suddenly an urge to kill one of their children and Ruby being completely fine with it?

The older fastrunner was about to answer when the full impact of Orchid's words hit her. The sense of responsibility still swirled within her and the omnivore knew without a doubt that giving her life was a worthy price to pay for ensuring those of her siblings'. However, she couldn't deny the other part of her mind. Indeed, she had absolutely no wish to make this sacrifice as she still had so very much to see in this world. She had found her family again and made two friends on the way and proven her mastery of the wisdoms of the fastrunner in her confrontations with the sharpteeth. Even more, she was the last one to carry on the memories of her friends from the Valley… those precious memories of bygone, better days…

And to claim that she wasn't heartened by Orchid's concern towards her would have been a big, fat lie. In fact, she had seldom felt this happy by the gestures someone else had shown towards her as the caring was more than apparent in his face. Ruby brought her hand to her head and shook it slightly, trying to fight her rising headache. She was just about to answer when she suddenly heard something that made her blood run cold. A footstep not far from the cave's opening. She immediately moved closer to Orchid and spoke to him urgently.

"Pretend to be sleeping, Orchid! I don't want them to know that I know!" She said, smiling as Orchid immediately as he was told and she immediately followed suit. Orchid had provided her with a chance to navigate through this situation and prepare for what was to come. But about its outcome, the young fastrunner couldn't say.

* * *

"Stay silent, dear. We mustn't wake Arial or Orchid." Detras said with a heavy heart as the forms of his three children opened before him. He could see nothing out of the ordinary in that scene as both Orchid and Ruby had moved to the same sleeping spots as earlier. To his eyes, it seemed like everything was a it was supposed to be… at least for a few moments. Detras narrowed his eyes as he moved towards Ruby before tapping her shoulder very much in the same way as his son had only a few minutes earlier. He spoke to her soothingly, enabling Ruby to end her little act. She tried to sound drowsy as she looked at her father, yawning as she opened her mouth.

"What is it daddy? Can this not wait until the morning?" Ruby felt terrible for even being forced into this situation as she still couldn't believe she was in the situation she now found herself in. Pearl moved to her mate's side, speaking stoically to Ruby. Neither of the two looked anywhere near natural but they hoped their daughter would still trust them enough.

"It cannot, Ruby. It's something that simply has to be done now or things will get worse for all of us. Come now." She waved before turning away, walking as if her legs had lost the ability to bend at all. At this point, Ruby knew everything her brother had told her was true. Something was severely bothering her parents and why else would they be attempting to lure her somewhere where she'd be safe from her siblings' gazes? Still, Ruby knew she couldn't reveal she knew anything about this as it would immediately tie Orchid into this mess… and no matter what, he had already given Ruby a major advantage by telling her of the threat. But with any luck, she might be able to speak herself out of this nightmare.

"Oh… alright. But let's not go too far as the wind is cold out there." She said, trying to also sound as natural as she could but her efforts, too, brought little success. Her parents turned to move outside into the darkness. Ruby followed them shortly but she took great care to always have an easy escape route… if that was what she'd decide soon enough. The three fastrunners walked to the small plain in the middle of the Rise before the grave silence was broken. The first speaker was Pearl whose former sorrow slowly turned into a mix of sickened self-hate and sorrow.

"Ruby, dear… we asked you here because… well, we did not tell you everything about Chomper's parents." She said with a sigh, making Ruby's heart sink immediately. Here it was. In a matter of seconds, her own parents would tell her they'd kill her themselves. That thought was something she still couldn't process as she looked at her parents. Detras sighed in disgust as he looked at Ruby in apology.

"Everything I told you about my journey… all of it was a lie. I never thought I'd find any real ways to get anyone to help us against two sharpteeth! No, I went to meet Dein and Terri themselves. And… I found a way to save our family from their vengeance." He spat out in clear disgust, knowing Ruby would have deserved better than this. The aging male was somewhat taken aback when he saw that not one muscle twitched within his daughter's face. Ruby looked at him for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and finally giving her answer.

"By making up for Chomper's death by… making me follow him, is that it?" She asked in a voice that was barely audible. She was truly growing fearful at this point as the conflicting feelings inside her grew ever more divided. She barely noticed as her mother gasped in surprise at her daughter's answer as she was too deep within her own thoughts. However, as the older female started to speak, Ruby raised her gaze at Pearl.

"H… how did you guess?" She asked, not willing to believe Ruby had expected this from her parents. To think she and her mate had brought such doubts to their daughter's mind… she suddenly felt even more guilty than what she had previously expected. Ruby's gaze turned into the ground momentarily before she turned to look at the older omnivores in turns. She cringed deeply when she saw her parents' bothered faces but she saw no reason not to answer Pearl's question.

"Mommy… from the very moment you woke me up, I could sense something was horribly wrong. I could see no real reason for you to call me here and when daddy told me about what he was really after… there were no other possibilities than this." She said while crossing her arms, fear grabbing her entire arms as she looked almost pleadingly at her parents. Guilt and hope swirled within her as she thought about what to do: no matter her choice, she'd bring even more pain and sadness to those she loved, as if her previous record on that front wasn't enough. After a moment, Detras shook his head and tried to approach Ruby but the younger halftooth took as many steps back as her father took forward. Then, he stopped still as she finally addressed Ruby with tears in his eyes.

"Ruby… believe us when we say neither of us wish any ill for you. It just is the only way we can turn the sharpteeth away for good. Please, we cannot ask you to accept it but at least understand why…" He started but before he could finish, Ruby snapped back at him, her eyes growing moist too as she prepared answer to any moves from her parents.

"Understand why I have to die in order to save you from a threat we've dealt with before? Mommy, daddy… I know why you agreed to do this and I remember very well when you told me that a Pack, or family's, safety was the most important thing. And if it came to that, I would give my life to save Arial and Orchid but… we don't have to go that far! I know you thought that such an idea was a bad one but I ordered one of the longbeaks to get the word to Stealth! With any luck, he will help us against those two! But no matter what, my brother and sister don't deserve this… I can only imagine how badly what you are planning to do would hurt them." Ruby said, praying her parents would listen to her. She had made a terrible gambit calling Stealth here but he was the only one who could even hope to stand against Chomper's parents. However, it was clear that neither of her parents were exactly excited about her words.

"You… you did what? Didn't I tell you one sailback cannot help us? If anything, he…" Pearl suddenly stopped as she realized the implications of what Ruby's move would be. If Dein and Terri learned they'd have to fight another sharpteeth because of the fastrunners… Detras seemed even more enraged by Ruby's words and he started to slowly walk towards Ruby, paying great attention to the duo's surroundings.

"… he will ruin any hopes we had of buying a hard-fought peace for our family! Ruby, there is a reason we prohibited such a folly and you would have done well to listen to us! Stealth will only make things all the worse for all of us!" He said as he looked at Ruby approaching a wall at the southern end of the Desolate Rise's central plateau. A horrified look appeared to Ruby's eyes as she looked at her father whose apologetic look had suddenly turned into an angered one. Ruby stuttered in despair as she answered to her parents.

"B… but I know he can take those two out! I hunted besides him! Please, listen to me, you don't have to do…" She started before she stepped on a pile of lose rocks which sent her falling into the ground and before she could even rise to her feet, she could see her parents cut her ways of escape from this trap. She had allowed this moment of fear rid her of her earlier care which had plunged her into this nightmare. This seemed something out of her worst sleep stories as she looked at the broken and hateful looks on her parents' faces. After a short while, Pearl finally gave her answer.

"I'm so sorry, Ruby, but it is too late for that now. I just hope you can find it in yourself to forgive us." She said, preparing to do the last thing she had ever wanted. The picture of her mother's claw was reflected in her eyes against the night sky, signaling to Ruby that the time for her decision had come. For a fleeting moment, she thought of simply resigning and giving her family the best chance to move on. It was the right thing to do on so many ways… and it would also make her pain and guilt fade away once and for all.

However, some small voice deep insider her prevented her from completely giving up just yet. The distant, primal call that resided within every living being cried out in the girl's mind not to throw her life away like this. Besides that, the horrified look in Orchid's eyes at the thought of losing his sister like this still returned to her mind. That small moment still lingered within Ruby, reminding her of the love she still shared with her siblings. Even if her death would only help them in their own lives, something within Orchid's words still prevented Ruby from resigning like this. The Circle of Life had began and a fastrunner should try to follow it until he or she could do that no longer. As her mother was only one arm's length away from her, Ruby's expression changed completely as she covered against the wall.

"I won't let you do this, mommy and daddy. There are still other ways out of this crisis in addition to this. Back off!" She suddenly cried but her call didn't seem to register in her parents' faces in any way. If anything, their faces grew more anguished but also more resolute. Detras wasted no time trying to tie his daughter against the wall but at the very same moment as he touched her, she hit back at him, causing a bleeding wound to his chest. Pearl frowned deeply as she looked at her mate who gasped slightly at Ruby's attack.

"Ruby, I warn you, don't make this any…" He said in a pleading voice but that seemed to fall on deaf ears. Ruby merely took a more confrontational stance even if she hated attacking her own father like this but in the end, it was he who had asked for it. She spoke in a low voice, signaling she meant every word she said.

"Not until you step back, daddy!" She cried, causing Detras and Pearl to exchange one, morbid glance with each other. After a brief moment, both of them attacked towards Ruby, attempting to pin her against the soft ground. The younger fastrunner was completely taken aback by this assault and she was completely stunned by her parents' deed. She was taken down almost immediately and panic started to grow within Ruby as her head hit the cold earth. She could hardly move as she heard Pearl's sobbing and inconsolable voice whisper to her.

"Farewell, Ruby. We will never forget you." She said as he prepared to strike at Ruby's neck, ending her struggles once and for all. Ruby's eyes opened wide in panic and only a few moments before her mother was prepared to hit her, Ruby managed to kick the older female with her left leg, scratching three deep wounds into her leg. Pearl cried in pain and before realizing what she was doing, she had let Ruby free of her grasp.

Detras cursed at this as the younger fastrunner tried to escape past her mother but he wasn't about to let her off the hook. As Ruby struggled to rise to her full length, the male grabbed her leg, causing her to fall again and he tied the girl against the ground with his leg. That hit caused all the air in Ruby's lungs to be flushed out and for a few seconds, she thought this was it. However, she suddenly realized that below her was a thicker than usual cover of ground sparkles and with a defiant push, again freed herself from the horrifying fate and at the same time, tripping her father.

Pearl, however, saw an opening as Ruby tried to again rise to her feet. She suddenly grabbed her daughter's hand and hit her back again and managed to force her back against the wall to the fastrunners' right. Ruby cringed as she tried to turn around but her mother's grip grew tighter by the second. She could feel her mother shudder in sadness but that apparently had little effect to her ability to make things ever more dangerous to her daughter. After she forced Ruby head lower towards the ground, she suddenly raised her leg and scratched many deep wounds into Ruby's belly before hitting her forehead against the wall, knowing this her chance to end it all.

Those hits made every part of Ruby's body hurt terribly even if her consciousness seemed to grow dim for a brief moment. Even if she had hoped it were otherwise, she was beginning to fear she couldn't escape from this trap anymore. She looked her mother's raised claws getting reflected against the cold stone by the light of the Night Circle, that sight causing her struggles to only grow more desperate. Suddenly, she realized she had only one chance to get away from this nightmare.

Concentrating each and every bit of her strength into her legs, she suddenly jumped against the wall and then bounced back at her mother, revealing her claws, hoping this effort to give her the opening she needed. At first, she was more than happy by her success a the scream of pain that followed as both of the females fell into the ground. However, as she finally returned to her feet, she saw something that made her heart skip a beat.

Her mother was lying in the ground, holding her left eye with both of her hands, her cries penetrating the Cold Time's night. At first Ruby was puzzled by what had happened but soon enough, she could see the fruits of her hit. A long wound could be seen stretching from both sides of the eye, the streams of blood and the white contents of the sphere mixing as they flowed down the hapless fastrunner's cheeks. In this moment, a wave of doubt flushed over Ruby as she saw the fastrunner who had cared and tended for her for her entire childhood cry like a horrified hatchling because of her actions. That sight only told her how very, very wrong all of this really was and the sight of Pearl's ruined eye nearly made her collapse to her knees. Her mood was hardly improved as Detras cried loudly as he knelt to her mate's side.

"Are you alright, dear? Let me take a look…" He said, seemingly forgetting all about Ruby as he prepared to tend for his mate. The male knew just how much that decision could hurt him and his loved ones in the weeks to come but he simply couldn't watch his beloved mate suffering like this. They had seen so much together and he couldn't simply do anything else but to try to help Pearl in her hour of need. Still, he couldn't help but twitch in horror as he watched Pearl lower her hand from her eyes, allowing Detras to see everything.

The entire surface of the eye was sliced open and its contents were still spilling out, the rest of the eye quickly turning completely white. He felt severe nausea as he looked at the sight realized that there was no way to save the eye's sight anymore.

This fact wasn't lost on Ruby either and she could feel terrible guilt rise within her. To think this was her fault… All the happy memories of them together flashed before her eyes, most of all her last starday with them… She had always regarded that as her life's happiest days and she could still remember how she felt as she looked at her parents' caring and loving faces… Ruby shook her head in disbelief, tears dropping into the white ground before she finally answered to her parents.

"I'm sorry, mommy and daddy. I'm so very sorry for everything. I hope you will make it through the Cold Time. I really do." She said before she turned around and sprinted into the night, knowing there was no turning back anymore. She choked horribly as she thought about what had happened but it simply couldn't be helped. But once again, her family was in real danger of being forced to pay for her mistakes, something that had happened so many times already. As she headed into the frigid wastes all alone, one thought alone formed in her mind.

 _Farewell, Arial and Orchid. How very much I would have liked to stay with you. Just… forgive me if you only can. And Yarel and Greentail… hopefully we'll meet again one day._

In the cold wind of the night, she thought she heard a voice that resembled that of her father's but that mattered little. All that mattered now was that she would be able to save herself from this fate and try to find some new purpose in this world. It wasn't long until the young fastrunner disappeared into the long night of the Cold Time, turning her back to her family and to the place she had been ready to call her home.

* * *

 **After the horrifying encounter with her parents, Ruby is once again alone in the world and for the first time, she has absolutely no one to turn to. Where will her path lead after this most horrifying of nights? With this chapter, we've passed 300k words which is truly an astonishing number! In fact, when I started writing this fic, that was the absolute word cap I thought this story would ever reach. Well, my plans have apparently changed since then. In any case, go ahead and share your thoughts of this chapter!**

 **Guest: I understand that that decision wasn't the funniest one but I felt his demise was a necessary event that would set the plot rolling on Ruby's story. In fact, I've never seen Chomper dying in other fics and I feel like that decision allowed this fic to explore some areas with Ruby that wouldn't have been possible if Chomper was still alive.**

 **The Rhombus: Yep, this chapter was meant to reveal many things that have happened during Petrie's absence and really, there are still some things that need to be clarified in the next one. Petrie's situation really is pretty sad as you emphasized and the arrival into the Valley was a real nightmare for him. I tried to show the change in the Valley through the characters themselves and their hostility towards each other and Petrie was the best way to do it.**

 **As for your latter points, you are completely right. This isn't the place Petrie has spent most of his life in and I can already reveal that indeed, the Valley will be but a short stop for Petrie's long journey. But now that he knows one of his friends is alive, he will have newfound will and determination to move on.**

 **OwlsCantRead: I'm extremely happy to see you giving this story a read and it's amazing that you are willing to share your thoughts concerning each of the chapters! I've really enjoyed reading your thoughts about this story's beginning and you raise really good points about the narrative itself, for example in your first review. Keep these reviews coming as they are most certainly appreciated!**


	33. An Old Course

**An Old Course**

"…and that is how me managed to return to the Valley, Guido. It wasn't easy but… here we are." Petrie said as he took a deep sigh while turning his gaze at the new glimmering lake below himself, marveling at the sight from the cliff he and Guido had decided to set while they'd exchange news from the events of the past weeks. The sight of the Valley was still a glorious one and the thought that one day not in the too distant future the waters would recede and the sanctuary of the leaf eaters could return to what it once was heartened him slightly. Guido glanced at Petrie quickly before he chuckled slightly.

"You know, Petrie, I thought I had a hard time lately but I think I'll just forget that. I'm so sorry for your uncle. I would have wanted to meet him some time." Guido said he saw a distant glimmer in Petrie's face which had turned into a somewhat dreamy one. The green-colored boy thought Petrie would be devastated after such a journey but instead, the flyer seemed relaxed, even hopeful for reasons he had some inkling about. After a few seconds, Petrie finally turned to Guido and spoke in a rather high-pitched voice.

"Petrie will miss uncle Pterano as long as me live but neither would he want me to mourn about him all the time. And me had some friends to help me through it all so it wasn't all gloomy. But what about you? Why you have bad times here?" He asked out of mere politeness as his real thoughts were fixed with his family and Littlefoot. The boy still worried about the former but the news about Littlefoot's survival breathed new hope, one whose like Petrie couldn't remember feeling ever before. Somewhere out there, one of his beloved friends still lived and one way or another, Petrie would find him again. The flyer felt slightly guilty for ignoring Guido like this but this was one piece of news he had prayed for for weeks. Guido understood this too but he still answered to his closest friend.

"Oh well, it wasn't anything major. I was only lonely because the others still think I'm far too weird and odd for them and well, you know, the things that happened here didn't exactly help either. I felt miserable more than once but hey, I survived through those times too and it's hard to believe things will get worse from this point. Except when the Cold Time finally hits the Valley." The glider said with a slight smirk but really, he believed in his own words. The feeling of immediate fighting had passed and the Valley was already recovering. Besides, Petrie had also made it which made Guido more than a bit relieved. Petrie looked at him for a moment while taking a breath as the Bright Circle warmed his beak.

"That should happen soon as it is already in full swing elsewhere. And me sorry you felt that way without me and the others but trust in Petrie, me too would want to return things to what they were only a few cycles of the Night Circle ago. But… me like to ask, do you know anything about where me family went? Cera's dad and the others didn't tell me anything about it." Petrie said, struggling to calm down and trust in his mother's judgement. All their life, she had taken care of his siblings and even now, Petrie couldn't believe she'd do anything brash like simply heading into the Mysterious Beyond without knowing anything where she was heading towards. However, Guido's shaking of his head hardly raised hopes within the flyer's mind.

"Nope. I spoke very little with them after you were gone and even if I had, I doubt your mom would have told me if she didn't tell it to anyone other here. She just seemed to want to get away from here as quickly as possible." Guido said as he looked at the fuming of the Smoking Mountains far, far in the distance. He still loved this place but this wasn't the first time he wished he had more friends, or even a family, to share it with. That was still his dream and the temporary loss of all his friends only underlined his need to do that. Petrie frowned at his answer, one detail bothering him greatly.

"Do you really say nobody has any idea which way me family went? Not one dinosaur in the whole Valley?" He frowned, not able to believe absolutely no one had any idea of their destination. However, Guido merely shrugged as he answered.

"Not at far as I know, Petrie! Believe me, I'd tell you if I only knew anything about it! If there's anyone who could have an inkling, ask the other flyers! They could at least have some kind of guess where they went!" He exclaimed, causing Petrie to sigh and raise his eyes to the bright sky, hoping he had simply heard another answer to this one question. Apparently his mother was even angrier at the Valley than Guido seemed to imply. To think that she'd take her whole family to the unknown to simply escape whatever had happened… Petrie shook those thoughts away and he then turned back at the other boy, willing to shed some light to another issue that bothered him.

"Well, me guess me could ask them later. But, Guido, nobody really told Petrie anything about Littlefoot! How was he when he came here? What had happened to him? Wh… where did he think his grandparents had gone?" Petrie asked urgently, frowning as he looked at his friend who sighed deeply. It was clear Guido wasn't too happy with those memories but on the other hand, neither did they seem to bother him greatly either. Still, it was odd for Petrie to see his old friend this serious.

"Oh, Petrie… Littlefoot seemed to be doing even worse than you did. He was completely famished and he looked like he had wandered those wastes forever! He was nearly unconscious by his lack of water but at least he became better once he spent some time in the Valley. But, as you can guess, that didn't make him feel any… um, better, as long as he thought you and the others were no longer in this world. But seeing you here, I wonder if some others of your friends might still be alive?" Guido proposed suddenly, willing to say something that would make his friend feel better.

He was slightly disappointed as he saw no major change in Petrie's expression. On the outside, Petrie seemed to be and in reality was overwhelmed by his still-lingering mental and physical fatigue but inside, Guido's words made a bigger impact. Littlefoot's survival hardly meant the others had made it too but… what if Guido was right? What if all of the others had actually survived the… no, he simply couldn't believe it after this time. Wishful thinking would get him nowhere and if those hopes would get crushed, things would only look darker than if that ray of hope had never been there. He simply pushed that thought aside as he answered to the glider.

"Me sorry for not being here back then but Petrie… well, it no matter. But what Littlefoot do while he was here?" Petrie said, trying to calm his nerves after everything that had happened today. He simply wanted to hear what Guido knew to form the best possible picture of the state of affairs. Guido rose to stand, regretting his reunion with Petrie being this serious. Still, he understood Petrie more than well and he smiled at him slightly as he answered.

"Aside from recovering and trying to gather his thoughts, not exactly too much. Things were even worse for him than they were for you as Mr. Clubtail tried to prevent his return even more than yours. I guess he saw Littlefoot more responsible for everything than you and that… fight left its mark on him. I, Etta and even Thicknose tried to cheer him during those long days but nothing of it seemed to help him at that point.

It was sad to see him seem so down during those days but he made it very clear he wanted at least some closure by finding you others or his grandparents. We tried to make him see reason but… one night he was simply gone. He didn't say a word to anyone nor did he imply in any way this would be his time to begin his search. It just happened. I'm sorry, Petrie, but that's all I know." Guido said to his friend whose gaze again seemed to look into the infinite distance. His friend had never acted this way before but on the other hand, so much had happened since they last met that would explain his changed behavior.

Petrie, on the other hand, tried to make something coherent out of everything he had heard. He tried to ignore all the pain he had caused to the longneck with his mere absence from the Valley in his hour of need. He'd help no one by blaming himself for something he didn't know was even happening. However, the flyer tried to make some sense of where Littlefoot could be by now. If he had tried to head after his grandparents, then he could have most likely went to the same direction he and his friends had went originally: to the same desert where they had met the fateful Sand Cloud. But it had been many, many days since Littlefoot's departure and if he had found his grandparents, they would be back by now. But if that wasn't the case…

"Uhh, are you alright, Petrie? Can you hear me?" The green glider asked with some concern as he looked at Petrie who finally woke up from his thoughts with his friend's help. His eyes widened immediately as he twitched back to this world, turning to look at Guido.

"Wh… yep, me alright. Petrie… just thought about everything you said. Me just concerned about me family and Littlefoot… I'd really like to know where they are now." He said, seemingly relaxing from his earlier thoughtful composure. He felt his head starting to slightly ache from all the things it had been put through today but that didn't change the fact that today had in many ways went far better than the boy had dared to hope for. His earlier despair was turning into a mix of concern and hope, something which was a major improvement from his earlier mood. Guido frowned slightly as he could quite easily read everything that went within Petrie's mind.

"Of course you do, Petrie. That's what friends are for, right? I would have wanted to know it too but finding him now would be far too difficult." He said somewhat glumly, also hoping Littlefoot was here. Petrie, however, took a distant smile to his face as he thought about his friend's words. He had seldom wanted to brag about his gift to his friends but this time, he had a good reason for it.

"Maybe to you but a flyer can cover far greater distances within a day than you can imagine. Petrie is sure that many flyers have at least seen his grandparents and where they are, Littlefoot will be sooner or later. Petrie sure about it." He said, taking an even sentimental look to his face. Guido, on the other hand, didn't mind his friend's slight jeer in any way as he understood completely what Petrie meant. However, his implications unnerved Guido somewhat as Petrie's sounded too confident for his liking. He stuttered slightly as he spoke to his friend.

"Does that mean… that you're planning to…" He asked questioningly, causing a slight laugh come from Petrie's beak. He was somewhat amused by Guido's concerns even if he understood his point of view too. His face suddenly shed the earlier concerns ad he looked more relaxed than he had in weeks as he gave his answer.

"Not if me won't get any ideas where either me family or Littlefoot went! Even a flyer cannot search the whole world alone. Me will ask the others later but for now, me am just happy to be here again. Petrie don't believe there any place more beautiful than the Valley anywhere in the Mysterious Beyond." He said, looking at the trees of the Valley swaying in the winds by the small rivers dotting the green hills of the famed land, only now realizing how wondrous this place was compared to the lands around it. Guido nodded at his friend before turning his own gaze too to the lands around him, willing to share this peaceful moment with Petrie. Even if the other dinosaurs around them had trouble seeing the good things around them, none of them were lost to Petrie who only now seemed to awaken to this obvious reality after the past weeks. Even after everything he had went through, this was still his home. Guido answered after a long wait to his friend, sounding slightly unsure as he spoke.

"I didn't expect so either. I wish I remembered where I came from, though. It's just so weird that I have no memories about that place." He said, regretting how very little he had actually seen that he still remembered. It was as if his life had began only a few Cold Times ago but what in earth had there been before? He frowned as he thought about that fact when Petrie answered.

"Me can't say, Guido, but me would help if there was anything me could do. But Guido, things won't get any better if me just stay here waiting for something. Maybe Etta knows something about where me family could have gone." He said, knowing that Etta had also been a Farwalker once and with any luck, she would have ideas on possible places his family could have decided to flee the Valley's problems to. Guido nodded to his friend briefly, understanding his sentiment perfectly. He had expected nothing else from the flyer and he wasted no time answering his comment.

"I hope so too. In fact, if anyone can help you with that problem, it must be her. Good luck, Petrie!" He said, immediately realizing that inside, Petrie had already made up his mind. His mind was already fixed on finding his family and friend and no force on this world would prevent him from doing just that. Petrie nodded to the glider and then exclaimed to him happily.

"See you later, Guido, and thanks for your help!" He said as he jumped over the cliff, entering another gust of wind to take him towards the Sinking Sand where he had last seen Etta head towards. Guido smiled after his friend, slowly starting to wonder about his own decision for the future. But for now, he was only happy to see Petrie safe and sound and that was all the green-colored boy had wanted in the past weeks. After a few moments, he, too, spread his wings and in a matter of seconds, he was gone.

* * *

The earlier meeting's true impact had started to dawn on the yellow flyer only after it had ended and it hardly improved her mood any. Mr. Clubtail had been difficult to stand ever since the loss of his mate but the way he had treated Littlefoot and Petrie made her see red. Even if they had decided to befriend Chomper, it wasn't because of either of them that the tragedy had come to pass. Deep inside, she couldn't even bring herself to truly blame Chomper for it because she knew more than well why he had done what he had but that was one thing she knew she'd have to keep to herself.

An annoyed thud escaped from Etta's beak as she dropped a pile of branches into a growing pile of them near the walls of the Valley, taking some solace from the fact that the trash that had once nearly coated the Valley was growing sparse. Soon, the work of the past weeks would be complete and with any hope, things would start to return to normal afterwards. She panted a few seconds as she looked around herself, noting how the other flyers, the domeheads and the swimmers helped in exploring the new lakes and in cleaning up their common home. Maybe there was still something to hope for from the Valley's future.

However, her gaze fell slightly as she saw Mr. Threehorn in the distance, not able to help but feel sorry for the aging male. Lately, he had only tried to do what was good for the Valley but all he had got from it was distrust from the domeheads, the hollowhorns and even his mate who had been beyond devastated by the loss of her stepdaughter. And to make things even worse, the massive storm and the waters flooding into the Valley had then taken Tria with them.

Yes, the threehorn's life had been one big strategy in the past cycles of the Night Circle but the way he had carried his burden was something that made Etta's respect for him to grow immensely. Under his earlier rough composure had been a kind and strong dinosaur who now had finally been revealed to those around him. Of course, that didn't make his situation any easier but at least it proved that the threehorn's character wasn't quite as bad as many had seemed to believe.

Etta cast one last glance at the threehorn, thanking him for his help earlier in her mind. However, the last pieces of trash wouldn't clean themselves and that was a good distraction anyway from the enraged thoughts the clubtail had brought on her. She was just about to take off when he heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Hi, Etta! Does Petrie come at a bad time?" Etta's eyes widened as she turned to look at the other flyer who landed on a small stone behind her. The female's face was a highly surprised one and she stuttered slightly as she answered.

"Wh… my, not at all! I just thought that ol' clubtail would have made you avoid all of us for a short while." She said as she relaxed at seeing the boy's rather happy face. Petrie's expression only turned to a slightly more amused one as he heard the older flyer's answer.

"Nope, me just happy me got rid of him that easily. And after all, Petrie heard something much more better so me don't care what Mr. Clubtail says!" He exclaimed, all thoughts of guilt about Chomper's guilt gone as she spoke to the other flyer. Etta's earlier surprise softened further, happy to see that the other dinosaur had recovered far faster than she had expected. She then sighed slightly as she answered to the comment whose obviousness wasn't lost on the yellow female.

"That's right, I, too, was gladdened to see Littlefoot here earlier. You know, things were far too tough here without any of you. I'm so sorry what happened to the others, Petrie, but at least we now know two of you survived and two's better than none, as a cousin of mine would say! I just wish there was more to help you though." She spread her hands in order to reinforce her sense of helplessness. She regretted Littlefoot's departure but she understood his motives as well as anyone. Petrie's look was unfazed by that answer and he answered immediately to Etta's comment.

"So does Petrie but still, that is why me came to see you! Littlefoot went after his grandparents and that mean they going at least the same way. Me know Littlefoot will find them at some point and two longnecks won't stay hidden from a flyer for long!" He started, causing Etta's frowns to drop a bit. She expected nothing less from the boy but his optimism was still seriously misplaced as far as she was concerned. She voiced her doubts without much pause.

"That might be, Petrie, but you cannot expect to find them…" She started but Petrie cut her short. Her answer was expected of course and the younger flyer had already prepared to answer it.

"Petrie doesn't! But with any luck, me can find both me family and Littlefoot at the same time! Me know momma wouldn't have left just anywhere with me brothers and sisters. She went someplace she knew with them and with any luck, some flyer there has seen Littlefoot or his grandparents!" He said, trying to find the balance between genuine hope and empty optimism in this difficult situation. Etta frowned somewhat, not really sure what Petrie was saying. She was hardly happy with the boy's apparent wish to leave the Valley again but in the end, who was she to prevent him? And in the end, it was even her duty to help him find his loved ones again.

"That may be what are you really after, Petrie?" She said, willing to get to the bottom of all this. Petrie's smile finally fell and he took a more serious look, knowing that now came the part he had come here for.

"Etta, you lived for a long time in the Mysterious Beyond and that mean you must know a lot of places there that help a flyer survive in those wastes! Petrie want to know, do you have any idea where me could find me family or at least someone who most likely has seen them lately?" He asked, praying within his mind he would receive a real answer. In fact, Petrie had already seen a few such places himself in his weeks of adventure but they had only been a few examples. Etta had lived decades out there so she must know much more about the Mysterious Beyond. However, his hopes were somewhat dashed as Etta brought her hand to her chin, thinking of the answer. It took many seconds before she finally opened her beak.

"It's impossible for me to say where your mother would have headed towards, hon. Mysterious Beyond is far, far wider than you can even know. However, I wonder, from which direction did you come to the Valley from? That might just give me some hints about the places she knows and well… what she doesn't." Etta said, knowing full well that Volant hadn't left the Valley many times since the family's arrival there, meaning she must have learned of her direction before her arrival into the Valley.

Petrie was slightly taken aback as he thought about that question. He hadn't paid that fact any thought and in many ways, his memories from his journey into the Valley were starting to grow distant and slowly vanishing from his mind. However, after a moment, he turned his eyes towards the cliff he remembered witnessing the Valley for the very first time with his friends so very long ago… After a moment, he found enough confidence to give his answer.

"M… me believe we came from the northeast here. Petrie not sure but me think it was that way." He said simply, hoping beyond hope Etta could give him some answer. However, it was at that same moment that he realized that that was largely the same direction where he had also returned to the Valley today. His mind grew a bit anxious as Etta finally gave her answer.

"Hmm… there ain't many places anywhere nearby in that direction. There are a few mountain peaks and one oasis I could think of but I cannot say which one of those your mother would think off. But of one thing I'm sure: she wouldn't get too far with her children. I know her and she wouldn't risk your brothers and sisters for any reason. But if you really want to know a place I think you could find some rumors about her, a large mountain called Streli's Hills could be worth a look. Many flyers gather there in this season and I'm sure some of them have seen your momma or Littlefoot. That's all I can tell you, Petrie." Etta said, frowning at her own advice as she knew such a journey could prove to be difficult for a young flyer like Petrie but she could see that Petrie was willing to go through whatever came his way. Yet, she was surprised by the change in the boy's eyes.

Streli's Hills? Was this a joke? Why was he forced to head there just when he had managed to depart from his uncle's herd for good? How could he show his face out there again after what he had done to Hoist? Inside, Petrie felt he could never take this step but… he had received the answer he had come here for. Would he be willing to pass this chance of reuniting with his family or friend because of what had happened to that cursed bully? The flyer felt a sting of guilt about what he had done to the other boy but in this situation, he knew Hoist had asked for it himself. He took a deep breath to wash away his shock at these news before he gave his answer to the female.

"O… okay. Petrie will think about everything you said, Etta. Thanks a lot for telling me everything you know!" He said, the earlier hopefulness returning into his face. He still knew that his idea was a long shot but that was all he had anymore. Etta then returned his happy look and bowed to the boy's level and took a warm if serious look.

"Petrie, I'd want you to understand one thing before you go. The thing is, I'm sure you're momma wouldn't want ol' Etta to help you go look for her in the Mysterious Beyond. In fact, I've got a tiny feeling she'd be livid at me. But I know ya need help and that's the reason I answered your question. But please, promise me you'll stay safe. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself because of me, no matter your motivations. I know I cannot stop you but could you do this one thing for another flyer?" She asked, praying she wasn't sending Petrie to his death by opening her beak. Petrie felt extremely bothered by Etta's look as he saw clearly her concern. He knew he couldn't promise anything now but there was no reason to deny Etta her plead. Petrie looked at her and spoke in a meek voice.

"Petrie promise to stay safe. Me wouldn't want anything to happen before I find them. Me try to prepare as best as me can and Petrie will leave only tomorrow" He said, meaning each of those words. He regretted that his reunion with Etta wouldn't last longer as he really liked the older flyer but his journey wasn't done yet. Etta took a breath in an apparent effort to calm down before giving her answer to the boy.

"Now that's the kind of courage a brother of mine would have loved to see. Very well, Petrie. I'd appreciate if I met you one more time before ya leave but if we don't… good luck on your search!" She said, returning the smile on her face. Petrie nodded to her as he spread his wings to rise into the air.

"Thanks a lot, Etta! Petrie will try to say goodbye tomorrow!" He said as he rose higher into the sky, leaving the female to look at his departing form with narrowed eyes. The yellow flyer shuddered slightly as a cool gust surrounded her and shook her head. Ever since she had met Littlefoot and his friends, she had been amazed by their resilience and bravery but their bond with each other was still something she could hardly comprehend. To think a flyer of Petrie's age had survived being a member of a flyer herd, managed to get into good enough terms with its leader to be able to leave it only to prepare to head back into the unknown just to find his family and friend… incredible. Etta's serious look slowly turned into a smile and then to a slight chuckle as she continued her original work.

"My, my, now there's the kind of kids that aren't even found in my own family. With that kind of attitude, something tells me Petrie will find what he's looking for…" She said with a relieved laugh as she took up another pile of branches from the ground.

* * *

Petrie didn't even want to think how many times his head had felt as if it were about to blow up today. Again, fate had turned his plans upside down and this time, Petrie was extremely unsettled by those implications. Even if Streli's Hills would have many more flyers aside from Lenel's herd, the pale flyer had sent him away simply in order to get rid of the one who had caused so much trouble for his fragile position at the head of the herd. Petrie could only imagine how unlikely it would be for Kero and Northwind to speak on his behalf to Lenel, considering the depth of their distaste for him.

Once again, Petrie gazed around himself, trying to catch a sight of his former companions but to his chagrin, he still couldn't see a sign of them anywhere. Sure, the Valley was far wider than even his eye could reach but the boy had still hoped to catch a sight about what the duo were up to. Petrie had no real reason to distrust them but he still felt slightly uncomfortable with his part in getting them into the Valley. If something happened, he would be in major part responsible for it. However, that wasn't the first thing in his mind. Not now, at least.

The flyer felt as his wings grew heavier with each flap, a testament to the massive flight he had undertaken today as well to everything that had happened. It was a completely unbelievable thought that it had only been this same morning that he had still thought his uncle to be alive. It felt like that horrifying revelation had happened a lifetime ago to some other dinosaur… so very much had happened that his mind could hardly even begin to process it. Petrie looked at the setting Bright Circle with certain gratefulness, looking as its edge touched the highest of the peaks surrounding the Great Valley.

But even more, Petrie's mind was fixed on a sight that grew ever closer to him. The familiar crevice in the mountainside made the boy twitch immediately, the array of emotions washing over him completely. The nest he had spent so many peaceful nights opened before him, its entrance welcoming him like the familiar home it was. A relieved sigh escaped from Petrie's beak as his feet touched the rocky floor of the cliff, thankful to be able to spend this night in this place that meant so very much to him. This moment of peace could have been even more complete in his old nest but this place had already received an eternal place in Petrie's heart.

Slowly, he turned around to look at the landscape below, frowning as he saw that the new lake had covered the land below him completely. Yet, the flyer didn't let it bother him as he looked at the green hills below it which bathed in the glory of the soft twilight. Looking at that sight, he could almost hear his mother speaking to him behind him as she had done so very, very many times before. A tear of nostalgia and longing felt from Petrie's eye as his mind formed one thought that overcame all others in the boy's taxed head.

 _Momma… brothers and sisters… Petrie promise me will find all of you soon enough. Me already…_

"…and then those morons bothered me for nearly an hour for details about a stupid children's story! I know the flyers who live in the Beyond are weird but that beats them all!" Petrie's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he heard a flyer who passed the cliff higher in the sky rant to his companion. At first, Petrie frowned at what he meant but within a matter of seconds, he realized what he was talking about. He smiled slightly as he heard the answer.

"You don't say? I've met dozens of them and they get odder by the day! Who could seriously believe there's anything interesting about Olres' story?" He said as the two passed the boy below them who they didn't even know had heard those words. Petrie waited for any continuation but the two had already flown far too far for him to hear anything. Petrie frowned as he thought about the last sentence, the name of Olres again surfacing. He had first heard it from his uncle and later from Lenel concerning his family but… why in earth would Kero and Northwind ask about it in the Valley?

It was far from the first concern in Petrie's mind but he couldn't help but wonder what was going on. According to his uncle, Olres had been Lenel's legendary ancestor who had made his family the one it was these days. But… it had been only a story, right? His uncle had never shown any inkling that he believed a word of those tales himself but… it seemed like Lenel did and Kero and Northwind were here because of his orders. Something told Petrie that there was something more to this than he knew but slowly and surely, weariness crept into his limbs. He glanced at the piles of grass that his family had apparently left behind in the nest, slowly walking towards them.

The flyer sighed as he felt the soft grass touch his back as he curled on them. Even now, he could imagine his siblings sleeping beside him as they had done so many times before and that he'd wake up to another day of play with his friends. Inside, he knew that wasn't true but this place brought a sense of tranquility and peace into his mind he hadn't sensed in ages. Just before he fell asleep, he knew that he'd find his family again… one day.

* * *

Northwind frowned slightly as he watched at the light of the coming dawn gleaming from behind the horizon. It had only been one night since his and Kero's arrival into the Valley but here he was, just waiting to leave it again. The denizens of this wondrous land had been surprisingly generous to share whatever they knew, especially the old, threehorn-resembling creature who still stood near him and his companion. This "Mr. Thicknose" had been instrumental in relaying everything the Valley knew about Olres' story and indeed, there was much Lenel would be more than interested to hear. Now, there was only one last thing to do before they could return to the herd… and in Northwind's case, finally take his place as one of Lenel's official deputies. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a comment from Thicknose which drew him away from his hopeful dreams.

"There they are coming. I told you it wouldn't take that long to gather everyone here." He said somewhat melancholically as he had quite enjoyed his guests' curiosity. it wasn't often that anyone would spend hours on end asking for anything he knew, especially from such an interesting issue. He had learned to love the flyer legends which he had heard ever since he had been a hatchling and even now, he still remembered everything about them.

Kero's expression was unchanged as the sight of the threehorn and the swimmer appeared from behind a nearby hill, not really able to say he had yearned to meet them again this quickly. Almost immediately, he noticed that the clubtail was nowhere to be seen, though. Well, that was only a good thing as Kero had grown to despise him the very first time they had met. Mr. Threehorn narrowed his eyes as he saw the two flyers again, not wasting time in opening the conversation.

"What is it again? You already wasted our time yesterday and I won't let two flyers cause any more tr…" He started but almost immediately, Kero cleared his throat before he completely interrupted the larger dinosaur.

"No, we wouldn't want to cause any more trouble, threehorn. In fact, we are happy to announce that we have found out everything we came here to look for." He said, glancing at Northwind to nod in agreement. However, that comment didn't end the bewilderment of Ura, Mr. Threehorn or Etta as they knew more than well that simply telling this wouldn't require calling the three most respected dinosaurs of the Valley this early in the morning. It was the swimmer who brought her hands to her hips just before she answered.

"Then, why did you call us here? We gave you a few days to stay but nobody forces you to be here that long!" She said, slightly suspicious of the two. Yesterday's meeting had left a really bad taste in her mouth even if she knew it wasn't the fault of the flyers. Still, she wasn't excited of yet another meeting as there had been precious few pleasant ones lately. Even more, there seemed to be something in the smaller dinosaurs' expressions she simply didn't like. Northwind took a brief sigh before he gave his answer, knowing now came another difficult part of his mission and one that the denizens of the Valley would hardly approve of.

"Of course, that is the deal we made and we are more than grateful that you saw your part of it through. We'll be on our way shortly but before that, we have another request we'd like to ask…" He asked, immediately seeing the swimmer's eyes widen in suspicion. He knew that bringing another demand up like this would hardly sit well with the denizens of the Valley but this was the other thing Lenel had asked them to do. The threehorn immediately hit his right front leg into the ground and growled in anger.

"You have no right to ask anything more from us, flyers! You should be more than grateful we ever let you into the Valley in the first place!" He cried, his voice bellowing through the fields of the Valley, all the way towards one particular cliff on one cliff not too far away…

* * *

The sudden sound immediately woke Petrie up from the most peaceful sleep in a long, long while. He could have lingered in the realm of sleep stories for much longer but Mr. Threehorn's sudden cry cut this slumber short. He immediately turned to look at the direction of the sound, seeing the large male far in the distance. The boy couldn't quite make sense of his words but the urgency in his voice meant that it wasn't something the threehorn was quite fond of. In a matter of seconds, Petrie was completely awake, all the memories of the last day returning to his mind. However, now he was only interested to learn what was going on with the grownups and without further thinking, headed towards the gathering.

* * *

The larger dinosaur's answer hardly was what Kero had hoped for. Sure, he hadn't expected a wholehearted agreement but to see him respond with such anger hardly was a good sign. He looked briefly at Northwind in order to command him to stay silent as he prepared to answer to the threehorn.

"Indeed we are. We never expected you to act as generously as you did and we are eternally grateful for allowing us into your home for this time. However, I believe that my proposition will be of benefit to everyone here." He said, causing the threehorn to roll his eyes in annoyance. It was clear he was preparing to silence the smaller dinosaur completely when Mr. Thicknose cut cim short in a kinder voice.

"If it were only up to me, I would listen with interest what they have to say. I can see they hold no ill will towards any of us and I'm willing to believe they really want to help us." He said, knowing full well that their interest in his knowledge made his comment biased at best but even otherwise, he couldn't see how their proposition could make things any worse. The threehorn frowned and he already started his answer before deciding against finishing it.

"As if presenting more and more requests every day makes them want to h… Arrgh, just go on with it then!" He growled, annoyed by being in this kind of situation again. He had been played before by the suspected friends of his own daughter and he wouldn't make that same mistake again. The only reason he was even given a second chance as one of the leaders of the Valley was the departure of Volant and Littlefoot's grandparents, thus making him one of the few ones who could even be thought of being worthy of the position. Kero took a deep breath, knowing full well that much depended on how he would present his next words. He took the most confident voice he could and started to speak.

"I thank you for your time. I know that you in this Valley think you are safe from all the things that are going on in the lands around you and I'm not questioning your ability defend yourselves for a moment. However, there are dangers out there and I wouldn't be surprised if they'd one day find their way into this Valley and in case of that day, I want to give all of you a warning. There are flyers that will want to harm you get their way and you must never give them a chance to enter this Valley. I…" He was suddenly cut short by Ura who was far from amused with his words. It was at this point that Petrie finally landed close to the swimmer but he stayed behind a large boulder in order to hide his presence from the grownups. For now, he simply wanted to learn what was going on and if his guess was correct, there would be something of interest for him to hear. Ura's angered voice made his face fall a bit but on the other hand, he had heard enough yelling lately.

"That's enough, flyer! I know you might think we are too stupid to realize that you're only trying to draw us into some stupid herd fight of yours but I'll just say it now, that's not going to happen!" She cried, taking a few menacing steps towards the smaller dinosaur. Kero frozen slightly but he didn't take one step back, knowing he couldn't show one sign of weakness if he wanted to preserve even a slight chance of success. It was at this point that Etta intervened into the discussion.

"That's damn right! I know full well what kind of things you and the other flyers have in mind and I've had enough of it!" She cried, remembering the many fights she had witnessed between her own kind during her years. She had most often been a solitary dinosaur and thus avoided most of those battles but she had met countless survivors of such fights, many of whom died shortly after. Not even during its first days had the Valley sank that low into the maws of violence. Kero cast a quick, pleading look at the female before he answered.

"Of course, of course. Both of us can see your point of view but I promise, we have no will to bring our struggle into this place. However, we'd like you to acknowledge that we were all attacked by one of our own and dozens of us died because of one flyer's betrayal! That flyer was known as Peak and he had the respect of many of our herd. And before that, one other herd also attacked our herd, also dealing a severe blow to our numbers." He ended, trying to create some sort of sympathy in his audience.

Petrie listened to the discussion with great interest, nodding slightly as he heard the mention of Deron's attack as he had to agree with the flyers about his threat to every dinosaur in this world. Personally, he would have wanted to see the Valley accept the duo's proposition but he had already done enough and he had absolutely no will to get involved in another risky bet that could see him exiled from the Valley forever.

Moreover, a new plan started to form within the boy's mind as he followed the gathering. He had been sent away from the herd and besides, he had no reason to even try to make his return known to anyone among them. What if he simply followed Kero and Northwind to his destination while hiding his presence from them completely? If he used the wind and the Bright Circle to his advantage, he could almost certainly ensure that the duo wouldn't see or smell him! That way, he could hopefully finish his task at Streli's Hills and be on his way before he'd be noticed! Even better, he could earn a chance to meet Glide one more time. However, he didn't notice another form near him.

* * *

The green-colored boy looked with a puzzled look as he noticed Petrie leaning against a rock, apparently eavesdropping at the meeting between the grownups. He could tell what possible was behind Petrie's interest in his companions as he, too, had heard of how much the flyers of the Mysterious Beyond actually knew. But before that, he had a few more words to exchange with the flyer before whatever would happen next came to pass. Guido flew towards the other boy but stopped quite short of actually getting to his side. Instead, he called to him in a silent voice.

"Psst, Petrie! Come here!" He said, shortly catching Petrie's attention. The flyer looked at him in surprise, not really knowing whether or not do as he was told at first. On one hand, wanted to hear what the grownups would decide but on the other, he was also interested in hearing what his friend would have to say. He seemed to hesitate for a short while before finally deciding to join Guido. He owed the glider at least that much. He took off from the ground but kept close to the ground in order not to raise any unwanted attention. He landed beside Guido on one low foothill which preceded the sharper rise up the mountains near them. Petrie's voice was extremely curious as he spoke.

"What is it, Guido? Me was trying to listen what me old companions and the grownups decide!" He said, believing their words carry information of great importance to him. Guido frowned slightly as he looked at the other male, crossing his fingers nervously as he looked at the older dinosaurs briefly, attempting to gather enough courage to say what he wanted to say. He had never been one to make any requests to anyone, especially ones of any importance, but he disliked the thought of once again being left alone in the Valley. Finally, he managed to voice his request to his friend who narrowed his eyes slightly as he listened to what the other dinosaur had to say.

"Uhh… Petrie, the thing is that… whatever it is. Anyway, you remember when I said I absolutely hated staying here alone when nobody wanted to even speak to me while you were gone. I can see you're going again so… I'd like to come with you!" The green-colored boy finally managed to say, causing Petrie's face to fall slightly again. He was beyond surprised by Guido's words, especially as he would never have thought anyone would want to join him in his journey voluntarily. Inside, he would have welcomed his friend's presence wholeheartedly but he knew there was more than one problem in his idea. His face took a nervous turn as he moved closer to Guido, looking at him almost pleadingly.

"Guido… Petrie is more than happy to hear that and me really would like to have you there with me but… me don't think it a good idea." He said merely, hoping that the other boy would see the reason for it himself. Guido, however, took a more surprised, even hurt look as he asked the obvious question.

"And why is that? After all, you know I can fly too and I promise I wouldn't be a burden! You know it as well as I do!" He said, willing to see that Petrie at least gave his plead some weight. The flyer sighed deeply, hating that he had to turn a dear friend away like this but if he couldn't see the problem, then Petrie would have to help him understand.

"It isn't like that, Guido. It's just that… there'll be many flyers out there who too might find you odd or at least as one who shouldn't be there. And, me hope you understand, me know you can fly but… you are best in gliding. Petrie know you can fly too but it a long, long flight to Streli's Hills and Petrie also know you couldn't keep up with me and me want to find me family as soon as me can. Hopefully you understand." He said while putting his hand on Guido's shoulder. The latter would have wanted to object to his friend's words but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Deep, deep inside, he knew that Petrie was right. He could go as a flyer in the Valley but on long flights, he grew tired faster as his body wasn't quite as suited to flying as Petrie's. He stuttered slightly as he struggled to speak to the other dinosaur.

"Y… you know but… I think you are right. It isn't up to me to even try flying for hours on end. After all, I'm not a flyer. Not really. I'm nothing really." He said, not able to hide his disappointment quite as well as he had hoped. For a moment, he had hoped that Petrie had a chance to accept his request but there he was again, despite knowing his friend's reasoning. Petrie, on the other hand, hated seeing Guido's reaction and he wasted no time giving his answer.

"That not the issue at all. Believe me or not, Petrie wouldn't have taken Littlefoot either on a journey like this. This is something Petrie must do by himself. But please… there's one thing me would like to ask of you." He said, catching the other dinosaur's attention immediately. A brief look of hope rose to Guido's face as he turned at his friend, eager to hear what he still had to say.

"Wh… what is it? Ask anything, Petrie, and I'll promise to do my best to see it through!" The glider said as he looked at the flyer. Petrie smelled at the fresh wind which flew past him before answering his friend. He hoped that his words would ease the situation a bit further.

"Me would like to ask you to keep your eyes and ears open for any news about me friends. It possible that Littlefoot return here while Petrie is gone and if that will happen, I'd appreciate if you tried to get the word to me somehow. I'll try to leave some message of where I am wherever Petrie will go. Could you do this for Petrie?" He asked, the irony of it all rising to his mind. Littlefoot was missing because he went looking for his grandparents wo in turn left to look for him. The flyer had no will to continue making that maze any more complicated than it had to be. Guido looked at Petrie for a while before he finally nodded.

"I… I think I can do that. I'm sure some of the flyers will be happy to tell you if we find out anything new out here. Be at ease, Petrie, I'll make sure of it." The green-colored boy said as Petrie answered him with a wide smile. He then turned to look back at the meeting, the chagrin of missing a small while of it already leaving his mind.

* * *

"I'd advise you to cut it right now, flyer! We don't know neither this Peak or Deron so we have absolutely no reason to believe anything you say! The Valley will stay away from your petty rivalries and that's final!" Mr. Threehorn said as he looked towards the smaller dinosaur. He wasn't amused in the least by his antics and he was heartened that at least in this issue, the other elders of the Valley seemed to be on his side.

Northwind, however, was hardly amused by the direction the discussion was going. These cursed morons apparently didn't believe anything they were told and even the yellow flyer, who had heard of Peak, apparently wanted to take any sides in this discussion. In any case, the hopes of having the Valley deny any help to Lenel's enemies were growing thin, a thought which hardly sat well with either one of the flyers. Both of them had despised the Valley all their lives and this visit there hardly made them any friendlier towards its dinosaurs. He glanced at Kero briefly, seemingly in agreement with him on the need to resort to their final option.

"Very well. While your point of view might be understandable from a certain perspective, you must also understand that these kinds of issues have two sides and to us, your help is paramount. So that you know, Lenel will soon lead the mightiest of herds this world has seen in ages and if you want to preserve your way of life on that day, we must demand you to accept our proposition. Now." He said, his posture suddenly turning into a confrontational one. The information he and Kero had received here could indeed prove vital to Lenel's dreams of returning the Golden Age of the Flyers into the being so he meant every word he spoke. Even now, these weaklings didn't deserve to inhabit this most wondrous land but he had to give them the final chance to save themselves in the face of the developments which would come next. However, as he predicted, his words only made the other dinosaurs more agitated.

"That's enough! Don't you have any sense of shame? Here we let you in and indeed as you wanted but here you are, demanding us to draw ourselves into your problems! I've had enough of such things in my day and damn right, we won't be scared by threats that are drawn right from some story we tell to our hatchlings!" Etta joined, crossing her arms while allowing Ura continue from where she let off.

"Indeed! Petrie's uncle already wanted to make us believe that flyers used to rule the world. None of us believed it for a second and neither are we going to believe that Lenel has anything more threatening than Pterano's stone! And even if he had, we don't take kindly to some threats like that! So I'd advise you to take it back immediately!" The swimmer cried, causing Northwind's face fall even further than before.

* * *

Petrie, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable by his former companions' actions as even now, it seemed like they'd leave the Valley as its enemies. Whether anyone would remember his part in bringing them in, the boy couldn't say but he was still more than a bit disappointed by the duo's actions. He heard Guido speak to him briefly.

"This doesn't seem to end all that well, Petrie. Did you know they really were like this?" The glider asked, causing Petrie to give a brief snort to his friend. He wasn't completely happy with the question but on the other hand, it was an understandable one.

"Me knew they weren't all that nice, Guido. But after all, me never had the chance to really think about it as they were Petrie's only chance to return home. But this certainly is rather sa…" He started before he suddenly heard the world shuddering near him, followed by a bellowing voice to his right.

"But in the end, it is again your fault those weaklings let them in, isn't it Petrie?" The flyer felt more than a little sick hearing that voice and he slowly turned to look at the speaker, gulping as he saw the form of Mr. Clubtail approaching him slowly. Petrie tried to calm himself down, remembering full well the larger dinosaur's last threat. He had to keep his mind from panicking because he had to keep his thoughts together in order to make his escape if he absolutely had to.

"Uhh… Hi, Mr clubtail! Yes, Petrie very sorry about that but… as me said, Petrie never had a choice!" He said, taking a few steps back as he saw the massive dinosaur approach him slowly but surely. He felt his heart beating in his chest as he saw very well the hate in the clubtail's eyes. Even worse, Petrie wasn't sure if he could rise into the air quickly enough to avoid getting rammed by the larger male. The clubtail's face then moved into a more neutral one as he prepared to speak.

"You never had a choice… It's incredible that you speak to me of choices that my child nor my mate never had! To think you were again ready to deceive us for your own benefit…" He grinned joylessly as he walked closer to the flyer who feverishly tried to find something near him that could help him escape from this monstrous situation. He then stuttered a brief answer to the clubtail, knowing full well that he had absolutely no way of placating him anymore. He nodded at Guido to signal him to leave, this dangerous situation surprisingly making him less scared than he had thought. There was something positive in going through dangers like this one every day, it seemed.

"Petrie say it before and me say it again: me am sorry for everything me did to you and the Valley but that not mean me will simply let you do this!" He cried, finally jumping to his wings, not seeing any value in prolonging this encounter any longer than was absolutely necessary. What followed was the exact scenario he had expected, the clubtail starting his charge towards the flyer. And before long, the boy's fears were confirmed: he wouldn't rise high enough before the clubtail's brute force would crush his frail body into pieces.

"I have no way of even trying to know if you two really thought these kinds of threats would work against us but let me make a few things clear for both of you. First, here in the Valley, we do not care what's going on among any single herds. Second, we expect all who live here and those who stay here for even a short time to respect others and to tell the truth whenever necessary. And third, we certainly don't accept threats or hostile remarks on anyone around here! I see you have absolutely no interest in any of these things and because of that, I think we all agree that your time here in the Valley will end this moment!" The threehorn looked at the other dinosaurs around him, who nodded to him in agreement. Only looks of outrage could be seen at the two flyers and even Etta showed no signs of remorse about the decision. She, more than anyone, knew what was at stake and she would be only relieved to see the duo gone.

However, the duo indeed didn't feel anything but disappointment at their decision. Kero brought his hand to his face for a few moments before finally looking straight at the threehorn. He couldn't say whether Lenel had seriously expected the Valley to be willing to cooperate with his herd but at least from his own perspective, this effort had been doomed from the very beginning. The flyer narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice noticeably as he answered.

"Very well, threehorn. We will do as you say but before this will all be over, I hope you'll remember this day when you turned Lenel's offer of friendship down. Come, Northwind. There's nothing more to us here." Kero said as he looked at the other dinosaurs' expression which were growing more hostile by the second. The two males then rose into the air and headed towards the skies, more than relieved to be able to put this place behind them.

Etta looked at them with weary eyes, wondering whether Lenel really was as powerful these days as the two claimed. She knew he was an ambitious flyer but she had never expected him to be this ruthless. Whatever was going on, she had a feeling this wasn't the last time she'd hear of his herd. And if she were completely honest with herself, some small part of her was starting to wonder if declining their offer had been the best way to move forward.

* * *

The sight of the massive dinosaur charging right towards him nearly broke Petrie's concentration completely and it was only with great efforts he managed to stay as the master of his own actions. The flyer knew that the rather narrow cliff wasn't the best place for the clubtail to move and it was only a mere moments when the larger dinosaur could try to get rid of him. However, it was apparent that the larger dinosaur wouldn't let those moments pass and Petrie could smell the murderous clubtail's breath in his back. He couldn't be any more than the smaller dinosaur's own length behind the flyer and it was in this moment that Petrie knew he had run out of time. If he tried heading upwards, the clubtail would certainly catch him.

If he couldn't go upwards, though, that left Petrie with only one direction. He took a brief sigh in order to calm himself down as he knew just how very dangerous his plan really was. The clubtail was closing down around him, hoping to crush him against the ground with his mere weight. Petrie suddenly turned his flight towards the ground before somersaulting only a mere inches above the still-green ground of the Great Valley. The clubtail noticed his changed course but wasted no time adapting his own strange to that of Petrie's.

"Oh no, you don't! This will be the end for you!" He said as he threw himself towards the left where he was sure Petrie was heading towards. The boy's eyes widened in rage as he felt one of the massive male's legs touch his wing, attempting tie it against the ground. Time was running and Petrie realized there was only chance for him to live through this. With all his might, he flew towards the clubtail's leg, aiming his beak's sharpest part against the soft flesh. The larger dinosaur cried immediately as he felt the hit against his ground and to his annoyance, he heard another cry immediately afterwards.

"Mr. Clubtail, what in earth are you doing? Why didn't you come…" Ura called at the male, immediately noticing his presence after the end of the meeting. However, she stopped her sentence when she suddenly saw a tiny form of a flyer struggling to escape from him. It didn't take a lot of time for her to realize what was going on. The threehorn noticed the very same thing as the swimmer and he immediately cried at the clubtail in outrage.

"Stop that immediately, clubtail! We agreed to let him stay in peace and you don't have a damn right to even try anything against him!" He cried as he headed towards the scene. Inside, he wasn't surprised by this kind of action from him but even until now, he had hoped that he could restrain himself from this kind of action.

* * *

The momentary confusion caused to his chaser by the cries wasn't lost to Petrie who realized his chance had gone. However, that moment was far quicker over than he had prayed for even if the clubtail had lost the sharpest edge had had against the flyer. He realized that Petrie had managed to get a short distance between the two and he noticed that he had only one chance left anymore to end this here and now. The three horn and the swimmer could go to hell as far as he was concerned as long as he could crush one of those who had ruined his entire family. With a quick move, he jumped after Petrie, hoping the flyer couldn't escape from his final attack.

However, at that same exact moment, Petrie noticed something which caught his attention immediately. The forms of Kero and Northwind were slowly moving over the mountains and they'd soon disappear behind the horizon, after which Petrie knew he'd never catch them again. as he felt the clubtail fall down upon him, he suddenly took a grip of a nearby stone and by mustering all his strength on his effort, he threw himself out of the clubtail's shadow, panting in horror as he saw the larger dinosaur collapse into the ground.

The emotion of the moment suddenly overwhelmed him as he finally flew too high for the clubtail to ever reach him again, looking at Guido's joyful face. Apparently the other adults blamed the clubtail for what had happened and as much as he wanted to give everyone the proper farewell, he knew that the two flyers were quickly getting out of his sight and without them, finding Streli's Hills could take forever. In other words, this was another goodbye to the Valley. He choked back his emotions as he called to Guido.

"Me have to go after Kero and Northwind if me want to find me family anytime soon! Guido, please remember what Petrie said and tell the grownups everything that had happened!" He cried as he headed after the two flyers, his thoughts a complete mess. He heard Guido's cry behind him, followed by the clubtail's bellow.

"I will, Petrie! But please, make sure to stay safe! We'll meet again soon!" The green-colored boy cried sentimentally, regretting that this moment of parting had come this soon. The clubtail hit his tail in the ground as he looked at the flyer.

"I'll make sure that your next return will be your last, murderer! Me or the others will never…" He started but soon, he was cut short as the other adults surrounded him, Mr. Threehorn the first one of them to speak.

"I feared we couldn't trust you anymore, clubtail. It seems we have a whole lot to discuss…" He said but everything that came afterwards was lost to Petrie. The boy's eyes were fixed on the spot where the two flyers had disappeared. If only he could just find them again before it would be too late… His eyes were the very definition of worry as he looked at ever wider parts of the blue floor of the world appear from behind the mountains, followed by other peaks far in the distance. But where in earth were Northwind and Kero…

A wide smile appeared on Petrie's face as he caught the sight of them again and they were heading at the same direction they had come from. Petrie took a relieved sigh as he thanked his luck that he hadn't lost them for good. Immediately, he headed lower towards the ground to prevent the duo from spotting him even if they suspected followers. The struggle with the clubtail suddenly felt like distant past: the relief Guido had made him feel still persisted and Petrie made a promise to himself to one day meet his old friend again. For now, however, what mattered were the two flyers before him and the answers they'd possibly lead him towards.

* * *

 **And with these developments, Petrie is forced to follow his former companions to the place he had already chased for so long. Will the flight to Streli's Hills give him the answers he's looking for or will this journey leave Petrie with more questions than before? After this chapter, I'll finish Under the Scarlet Banner for good and probably write my next prompt response so the next chapter won't likely be out before late December or early January. In any case, I hope you liked this chapter and see you later!**

 **Guest: There's not much I can say but considering that Littlefoot's survival and Chomper's death are confirmed, I'd advise you to wait and see what happens in this story before the end.**

 **Eris: Yep, the last chapter was indeed a tragic one, there's no way around it. As for your proposition, it's a really decent one and I'll certainly see what I can do. I really like such scenes myself. :)**

 **The Rhombus: It was indeed left ambiguous how much the children sensed how very oddly their parents acted even if Detras and Pearl did their all to save their children from the pain. As for Ruby's new life, I think I'm not giving too much away when I say it won't be a total break from her old one due to the issues you mentioned.**

 **About your later observations, I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. I didn't mean Petrie's arrival to the Valley, for example, to be that dark as we learned Littlefoot's still alive. Yet, I see your point as the more traumatic conclusions to some long-term developments happened in consecutive chapters. The worst shocks are over for now and I hope the next chapters will balance these dark parts somewhat!**

 **OwlsCantRead: Again, I truly appreciate all these reviews from each of the older chapters! It was designed as a surprise for the many developments within the Gang to hide what was coming soon… as you already witnessed. Your comment about the significance of the chapter name was a correct one as in many ways, that is the point where this story "really" begins. Ruby really had a bad time back then and it was only with her kind's wisdoms that she navigated through that pit in her life. In any case, I certainly look forward to hearing your thoughts about the next chapters as they've been really interesting and insightful!**


	34. Reunion with a Long-Lost Friend

**Reunion with a Long-Lost Friend**

The cold air wheezed within the fastrunner's lungs as she forced her way through the white plains, only one thought lingering within her mind. She had to go further, as far as she could from the looming mountain behind her. She could hardly even think of her current situation: she tried to block the events of the last hour from her mind as best as she could. The memory of her brother's warning, her father's attack and her mother's ruined eye lingered within the back of her mind, only serving to deepen her misery and will to go ever on.

It was a struggle to even take another step through the ever-growing drifts of the ground sparkles which made it difficult for her to even raise her legs from the frigid ground. Yet, her mind commanded her not to give up as deep down, she feared she hadn't seen her parents for the very last time. Ruby frowned deeply as she tried to push the encounter away from her mind's eye… only to fail miserably. Suddenly, her fight with her parents appeared as real as the moment it had happened in front of her, causing a few more tears fall into the soft, white ground. This was a scene far worse than any she had even had sleep stories of during her life.

Second after second passed and the distance between the omnivore and the Desolate Rise grew, even if extremely slowly. Ruby was already exhausted by her wicked escape but she couldn't stop just yet. Not before that cursed place was far behind her, too far for her parents to…

Ahhh _!_

She suddenly cried as she felt the earth give in under her, plunging her downward into whatever place waited under the seemingly perfect cover of the world. The girl let a brief cry of pain as she felt her back hit the ground, soon to be followed by the rest of her body. She gasped for a few times as she looked at the looming night sky far over her, now able to be seen only from the narrow hole over her. Of course something like this had to happen on a night like this when absolutely everything went just as badly as they simply could! Luckily, the hole was at the end of a gently sloping tunnel and Ruby wasted no time attempting to climb out of it until in order to continue her journey.

However, it was only then that she realized just how folly that idea really was. Only now did she realize just how frozen she was after being beaten by the raging night wind for such a long time. She had absolutely no other place to go now so she might as well try to hide here at least for today. Her parents would never fin… Suddenly, Ruby collapsed against the wall as the thought of her parents crossed her mind. Her hands turned into fists as she started to sob against the cold wall of stone, asking the night wind a silent question.

"Why… why did they do it? Why did it have to go like this? How could they?" She asked weakly even if she knew the answer already deep down. They could because it was the only way to protect their family from _her_ mistakes, from _her_ quest to lead Chomper's parents to her siblings! The fastrunner's defiant words were completely at odds with her resigned mind as she realized the full implications of what had happened. She had forever handicapped her mother by blinding one of her eyes, she had brought the rage of Chomper's parents upon her entire family and in doing so, probably doomed them all!

Yes, Detras and Pearl were resourceful and cunning fastrunners and if everything went as best as they simply could, there was a tiny chance they could evade the sharpteeth for at least some time. But the thing that hurt her most was the realization that she couldn't even go back to them. Even if she could forgive her parents from what they had done, she couldn't face them after hurting her mother so and it was likely her parents would never forgive her from all of the curses she had brought with her. Ruby shuddered as she thought that she'd never meet her parents again but the thought that even after all that had happened, her brother and sister would be forced to grow up without their older sister. She was all alone, with no friends, no family, no home… and no place to go!

That was too much take at once. The once-cheerful and courageous dinosaur slowly collapsed against the wall, starting to cry inconsolably, not finding anything to even try to strive for. Alone she would never live through the Cold Time and it wasn't even far-fetched she'd freeze to death not in the so distant future. Now she had truly lost everything and unlike during her earlier moment of despair, she didn't have one dinosaur in the whole world who loved or even missed her. Slowly, the memory of her loss was replaced by despairing realization… until she heard something that made her blood run cold even without the chill of the Cold Time's night.

 _Don't let it end like this, Ruby… please…_

The fastrunner's eyes flashed open immediately as she recognized that voice. It was one she had dreamt of hearing for far longer than she even cared to remember anymore and for a short time, she even thought she had heard only a passing breath of the frigid breeze, howling over the lifeless plains of the Mysterious Beyond. However, it wasn't long before she could feel even this night growing colder and her cave's surroundings starting to get clouded by some strange looking mist. The fastrunner felt her heart starting to beat faster because of her rising fear but she soon felt like it was getting drown under her curiosity and hope. If… if she had really heard what she thought… The girl shook her head, trying to clear her mind as she quickly started to crawl towards the cave's opening, not willing to even start to think about what she'd find.

The first thing that met her outside was the increasingly violent wind that battered her plumage with all its power. Ruby closed her eyes at first before starting to look around herself, her spirits failing at first as she only saw the air painted white by the flying ground sparkles. The fastrunner sighed silently, already starting to believe her imagination had managed to trick her in her moment of weakness. However, just as she tried to fall down back into the tunnel, she heard the cold and wheezing but still familiar speaking to her again.

 _Don't go! I… I just want to tell just how sorry I am._

The voice called to her again and this time, Ruby knew she truly heard what she thought. Her chest swelled in suspense and happiness even if her mind called her to be beyond horrified by what was transpiring. Still, she called to the wind again, hoping to receive some, any kind of answer.

"Chomper? Is that really you? Tell me where you are!" She knew just how puny her question was as she knew more than well her old friend was long gone. However, a look of astonishment was painted across her face as she saw the storm starting to subside around her, only to be replaced by a more gentle, calmer cloud that seemed to reflect the glory of the lesser lights of the wide night sky. That light seemed to gleam straight at Ruby as she heard the voice speaking to her. As she heard it, a form that one could recognize as a silhouette of a young sharptooth appeared to the sky.

"It is me, Ruby. I'm so sorry about what has happened. I never thought I'd see myself causing you so much harm. I'm so very sorry." The voice said as the light seemed to fade slightly. Ruby looked at the sky puffy, cocking her head as she thought about what was happening. This simply wasn't possible! Not once had her parents said this kind of thing was possible… only Littlefoot had ever dared to claim he had spoke with someone who was dead but… here she was. A longing smile rose to her face as realized that he hadn't been wrong and if this really was Chomper… But what did he mean? What was he trying to say? The girl gulped before answering.

"So am I, Chomper. It was all my fault, my fault it was. If I had done anything better, you… you wouldn't be…" She fought to finish the sentence but before she could, she was interrupted by her friend's voice again. She still couldn't bring herself to acknowledge Chomper's fate as it simply was something she wanted to accept. Her frown deepened as she heard the young sharptooth's answer to her words.

"You're wrong. Ruby, you must not say that to yourself! If I had followed you during the Sand Cloud as you told me to, I could still stay with you! But I wanted to help the others and in doing so, I got separated from you and… well, I don't want to say it. But if I had listened to you, my mommy and daddy would still be your friends and your family would still be together. All because of me…" The voice seemed to crack terribly as if it were starting to cry and the raging storm seemed to penetrate the bubble around Ruby, again opening her to the raging winds. Yet, the fastrunner ignored that completely as she looked at the starry sky, thinking of the words she had just heard.

She had tried to push that memory from her mind but it was true she had told Chomper to follow her, an order he had quite literally pushed aside. Ruby felled a sickening feeling in her stomach as that thought crossed her mind. Indeed, if Chomper had listened to her instead of his heart, Greentail, Chomper's parents, her mother… all of them would be fine right now and tonight's fiasco would never have come to pass. However, the fastrunner let out a sad sigh as he prepared to answer, knowing she had but one answer to give. One single tear rose to her eye as she looked at the night sky above her.

"I know, Chomper. But even then, you were under my supervision and it was my duty to keep you safe and I failed. I failed. It is I who must take responsibility for this all. I should have given my last breath to prevent the fastbiters from taking you." She said, not finding anything else to say. She could spend the entire night apologizing to her fallen friend but inside, she knew that would be for nothing. Her mind simply circled around her own guilt and the presence of her passed friend only made it worse. However, what she heard next made her gaze rise again.

"That's just what daddy would have said… Ruby, I don't know if it's important or not but it wasn't the fastrunners that got me." He said simply, his form twitching slightly, as if that memory was a painful one for the boy. Ruby cocked her head, a pile of questions rising into her mind.

"What do you mean? Did you escape from the Sand Cloud? Chomper, please tell me what happened!" She said pleadingly, her face turning into a mask of haunted curiosity, dreading if what she'd hear next would only make her feel worse than before. There was a brief pause in the conversation as Chomper seemingly struggled to think of the answer. His voice was faraway and haunted as he finally spoke.

"Yes, I escaped from the Sand Cloud and somehow, I managed to shake the fastbiters from my heels. I already thought I was safe and afterwards, I tried to look for you guys… until I quickly saw a shadow behind me and a quick hit that took me out. I don't know how I was so badly surprised but…" He merely answered, tears falling down his face. At those words, Ruby's eyes flashed open. That explained one thing about the tale Chomper's parents had told her on the night of Greentail's injury. Chomper's body had been barely damaged apart from his cut throat, not a piece of him eaten by the fastbiters. Ruby realized she was gasping for air as she asked the obvious question.

"You… you don't have any idea who it was?" She nearly vomited the words, the amount of emotions again starting to overwhelm her. Chomper merely shook his head sadly, not finding anything else to say. Ruby briefly looked behind her before trying to make some sense of what she had heard. Someone had killed Chomper for some reason other than eating him but… but why? Why would anyone do something like that to her dear friend? Even if the fastrunner tried to think of it from any perspective she could come up with, she couldn't find an answer to this question. Everything that had followed the young carnivore's demise had been a never-ending cycle of pain and misery and there was no one who could have possibly have benefited from it. She stood still for a long time, trying to calm herself down before answering to her friend again.

"I'm terribly sorry that all of this happened, Chomper. I just wish we were back at the Valley, together with everyone." She said, this one chance to speak with Chomper again only deepening her longing for the life she had lost. Her face dropped to the ground, only the falling of the ground sparkles and the all-encompassing darkness filling her sight. The passed dinosaur's face fell simultaneously with her friend's and his voice was even more inconsolable as the fastrunner's.

"So do I, Ruby. So do I. If we got only one chance to explore the Secret Caverns or play Swimmer and Splasher again… But that is impossible." He said, clearly waiting to tear up. Ruby nearly joined him in his display of despair but inside, one spark arose that enabled her to shake herself awake from this surreal situation. She suddenly turned to look at the sharptooth-resembling sky puffy and cried in a pleading voice.

"I know, no matter how I wished it weren't so. But, Chomper, please tell me why you wanted to speak with me now! Tell me what is it that you wanted to tell me!" Ruby spread her hands and looked miserably at her friend's silhouette. There was a short pause in the discussion as the sharptooth's pondering expression seemed to become one with the many stars of the brilliant night. When he finally answered, his voice was unsure, even fearful.

"I… I'm not sure. I don't even know how this is possible! I… I guess it was because I'm concerned about you, now more than ever." He said slowly and in a hesitant tone. Ruby cocked her head, not really understanding just yet what Chomper meant.

"Concerned… about me? W… why? I'm fine unlike so many others who have met me! It is those you should think about!" She said, completely oblivious to what she would receive as an answer. Ruby started to again shudder with cold but her friend's answer shook that feeling far away from her mind.

"Ruby, you know what I mean. You were my closest friend of all who was always there for me. Of course I want what's best for you and even if everything has went as badly as they could for you lately, it isn't your fault! You cannot blame yourself for any of it!" He said in a loud voice, trying to get through Ruby's guilt but to his surprise and disappointment, that didn't seem to work the way he had hoped. The fastrunner's voice was even frustrated as she answered.

"I already told you it was, Chomper! You weren't there when I invited Yarel and Greentail because of my loneliness, when I only made things worse with your parents or when I ruined my own mommy's eye! Now I am left with nothing because of my own mistakes and I do have the right to blame myself for it so you may keep your words to yourself!" She even shouted as she spoke, causing Chomper to twitch noticeably. The fastrunner immediately noticed that she had gone too far but her inner self-hate had suddenly just erupted after Chomper's kind words. She immediately gasped and tried to stutter an apology.

"I… I mean that… Sorry for th…" She began but before she could het further with her answer, Chomper cut her short in a sadder voice than ever before.

"No, it is alright, Ruby. I understand that it might hard for you to believe. But before I'll go, I want to tell you one more thing." He said, causing Ruby to look at him in expectation. She had no idea what she'd hear but she'd listen to it with all her heart. The sharptooth's voice was a strange and distant one, unlike anything Ruby had heard from him in life.

"Ruby, I hope you listen to what I'm about to say. You are in a terrible situation but I know that if there's someone who can get away from it, it is you. I cannot say what you can do now but all I know is that you must keep moving on. I always knew you had something great coming in your future and it seemed like you'd also have more adventures before yourself. Regardless of whose fault all of this has truly been, you must not simply resign to whatever fate that is coming your way. For my sake, promise to keep going, Ruby." He said pleadingly, looking as if he was narrowing his eyes in order to get Ruby do this one, final favor. However, the fastrunner was far from convinced by the young sharptooth's words and she made her sentiment more than known as she answered.

"But I'm all alone! I have no place to go or no one to go with me! That is not the kind of life I want, the kind of life I want it is not! Every time before, I tried to help someone else but now, I'm alone in trying to find something to live for!" She said in a silent voice, sniffing one tear as she tried to prevent herself from falling into sadness again. She was more than happy for being able to speak with Chomper one more time but she knew more than well that they couldn't stay together. Not anymore. The answer she received, however, caught her by surprise.

"Still, you have to go on. And besides, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't have to forward alone. Farewell, Ruby. I couldn't say it the last time but thank you for your care and all the happy times we went together. I'm more than happy I could call you my best friend." The sharptooth said as the sky puffy suddenly started to break apart and the pile of clouds around the fastrunner disappear into the night. Ruby was more than alarmed by this but she knew more than well that this blessed chance to speak with her friend was over. She quickly looked at Chomper's disappearing form, regretting everything she hadn't had the chance to ask him. She merely cried after that sight and cried her last words.

"Goodbye, Chomper! Know that I will never, ever forget you and thank you so very much for giving me this one chance to speak with you. We'll meet again one day." She said as the sky puffy collapsed altogether, the shining of the lesser lights returning to that of their natural glow. It wasn't long before the full violence of the wind again hit the fastrunner whose breaths grew faster. She fell to her knees into the ground, her eyes glimmering with shock and disbelief.

Had she actually spoken with Chomper? Had she actually managed to meet her long gone friend? But such a thing was impossible! It… it simply couldn't be! Yet… that memory was still clear in her kind and she still heard his voice ringing in her ears. It simply wasn't possible but… she had seen it with her own eyes. She didn't even realize that her mouth turned into a smile, the realization of what had happened starting to slowly register within her mind. There was no way around it: Chomper had been here. There really was much to learn from this wondrous world and it seemed like one of these wonders had just been revealed to her. A brief breath left her mouth as she looked at the endless, black sky.

"Thank you, Chomper. Thank you so much."

But even then, his words made Ruby more than just puzzled. She wanted to do as he had told her so very, very much but still, that conversation hadn't really changed her situation in the least. She was still alone and despised, with no home or family. Yes, Chomper had said her situation wasn't as grim as she thought but… what did he knew of such things? Even he couldn't possibly change everything with his mere words.

No, her situation was still more than horrible but even then, she was heartened that Chomper still believed in her. For whatever it was worth, she at least still had his respect and love even if she had feared she had lost it so very long ago. The girl felt a shiver creep up her spine as another gust battered her side. Yes, she would try to do something tomorrow but for now, she only needed to get some r…

"Ruuubyyy! Are you out there?" She suddenly heard a sound that seemed to emanate from some other world. It was beyond silent, drowned by the wailing wind. Ruby nearly shrugged that aside as some kind of trick of her overstretched mind but… that was what she had nearly done to Chomper. With a curious but worried look, she turned towards the sound but decided against leaving her cave in case her ears were tricking her just yet.

However, another fearful thought rose into the fastrunner's mind. She couldn't recognize the voice through the wind's howling and indeed, the best guess was that it would belong to her father… or even to her mother. Ruby had absolutely no desire to meet either of them, no matter whether they were coming to finish the job or to apologize to her. No matter what, she'd never look at them as her parents again and because of that, Ruby decided to make sure the newcomers weren't those who had wronged her so very much.

The girl cringed deeply as she heard the calls growing closer and closer. She swallowed as she looked into the impenetrable curtain of white, deciding to make her move. She gulped as she jumped into the ground, knowing she'd have to leave as clear footsteps as deep as possible if she ever wanted to find her way back before they would be forever buried under the storm.

One step at a time, Ruby headed into the raging wasteland, listening to the cries that still rung throughout the lonely, dark plains. Soon, she started to finally make sense of the voices… and she was completely astonished by what she heard. These weren't the voices of a grownup, they were the voices of children! And if that were true…

She nearly forgot to make the footsteps as the implications came crashing down upon her. It was Arial and Orchid who were looking for her! The girl's heart swelled with concern and happiness as she headed towards the sounds with the best speed she could muster. It wasn't long before she started recognizing some vague forms in the storm and she called to them with her loudest cry, much of the emotions barred inside her getting released as she saw her siblings again.

"Orchid! Arial! It is so good to see you, so good to see you it is! What are you doing here? Aww, I'm not that scary, am I?" She even chuckled as she saw her siblings nearly jump to the air in surprise. It wasn't long before the girl saw two other forms appear before her, making her eyes widen further. Yarel and Greentail soon appeared before her as well but before she got the chance to speak, Orchid's shocked voice spoke to her.

"Don't scare us like that again, Ruby! How are you? Did mommy and daddy hurt you badly?" He asked, trying to catch his breath from the surprise. However, the older sibling received no chance to answer before Arial suddenly ran in front of her, a deep shock and disbelief radiating from her eyes.

"Please tell me this is just Orchid's sick joke, Ruby! I wouldn't have wanted to leave but Orchid told they'd kill us next if we stayed!" She exclaimed in shock, earning a hurt look from Orchid.

"I said so because it's true! Don't again try to paint me as…" He started but before he could finish, Yarel cut the younger omnivore short.

"Cut it already, you two! Give her the time to speak! We also wish to hear what she has to say!" He snapped, silencing the two children with a murderous glare. It was clear he was deeply torn and even infuriated by this sudden call for another adventure and the very least he wanted was some kind of explanation. Ruby was more than happy by his comments and she cleared her throat as she looked at Arial's horrified expression. Her own melancholy returned as she thought about everything that had happened but her earlier conversation still dominated her thoughts. The girl waited a few seconds before speaking.

"Thank you, Yarel. Arial, I know it's difficult to believe. I didn't myself at first, but it is true. Mommy and daddy attacked me and tried to take me down. That's all there is to it." She said, willing to give some time for her sister to accept this horrifying truth. Arial's eyes widened in shock and she took a few steps back as her breaths intensified.

"B… but why? Why would they do anything like that?" She asked, stopping only when Orchid took her by the hand to calm her down. Ruby looked at her with an apologizing look as she started to speak, not seeing any reason to leave anything out of the story. Neither of her parents deserved any sugarcoating of their actions nor did Arial deserve to be told lies.

"They thought that by killing me, Chomper's parents would stop coming after you. You see, if both of our families lost one member, mommy and daddy thought they would leave you in peace. At first I thought they were right but… I simply couldn't do it. I couldn't sacrifice myself for your sake." She said, her face turning darker by the second. Again, she started to wonder if she had done the right thing or not but at the very least, she could tell her not to worry about the eternal past. She looked at Greentail as the latter spoke to her, her voice seeming to grow steadier a bit every day.

"If you had done that after everything we went through… know that I would never have forgiven you for that! I knew our kinds do many bad things but this… maybe it's good that we haven't had our parents for many seasons, Yarel." She said in a silent voice, her face growing glum as she thought of what Ruby had gone through. Ruby nodded at her in silent agreement before she looked at the four omnivores in puzzlement.

"You may be right. But… why did you come here? There's nothing for you to gain by following me! I'm… I'm just lost and I don't even know what I should do!" She said, trying to find some reason why her companions had wanted to seek her out. She was surprised as she heard a disgusted spat from Orchid. The boy looked at her in anger, his expression not hiding any of his inner fury and outrage.

"Did you really expect us to stay with mommy and daddy after everything that happened? I can never look them in the same way again and who knows how long it would be until they realized killing us would also help somebody! We know you don't know where to go now but at least you are still Ruby and at least you haven't tried to kill any of us!" He spoke with a spirited voice, looking at his older sister in clear approval. Arial nodded at her brother's statement readily, realizing now that Orchid had been right all along. At first, Ruby thought of trying to make see her siblings see the error of their ways but inside, Ruby had to admit she could hardly stay with anyone who tried to kill either her precious brother or sister either. She gave them a wide smile before turning at the thinclaws.

"Thank you both. I just hope we'll make it through everything together. But how about you, Yarel and Greentail? You could have just went to live on your own and never meet my parents again! And now that I think of it, how are you here? Did Orchid alert you as well?" The fastrunner asked with a puzzled look, only now wondering that one detail. Yarel crossed his arms slightly, cursing the seemingly never-easing wind as he answered.

"In fact, we were woken by the sounds of your fight and… and we saw how it ended. It wasn't long before those two headed after you and… and we wanted to get to the bottom of this. We could immediately see this was something we simply had to know." He said simply, wondering inside if his and his sister's presence was really even wanted among the three siblings. Still, he felt the chill creep into his limbs as he thought of everything that had transpired on this sickening night. Ruby nodded at him briefly before starting to think of her and her companions' situation. She couldn't deny that she was extremely happy about the appearance of her siblings and friends. Inside her, Chomper's words rang in her mind.

 _And besides, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't have to forward alone._

Had he known of this all along? Ruby didn't even know of what to believe but she smiled as she thought about Chomper's encouragement to her in the most difficult time of her life. However, she was far from confident on how to move on from this night. Even if she didn't want to leave any of the four, she didn't want to lead them either. She had already lead them enough and every time, she only led them to ever worse situations. She frowned as she turned away from them in order to sort her thoughts before speaking again.

"Alright. You can't know how much your presence here means to me but… you cannot follow me! I am hated by so many and even now, Chomper's parents yearn for my blood, for my blood they yearn! I have nothing to offer you and only so very much to take! I… I don't want to think what would happen if all of you came with me again." She said with fearful eyes, all of the horrors that might follow in the future flashing in front of her eyes. However, it was Arial who gave the first answer. She exchanged glances between her brother before speaking.

"But where else would we go to? Ruby, you are our sister and we can never again stay with mommy and daddy after what they've done. You know that you are our only chance now. Please, don't turn us away." She said pleadingly, causing Ruby's expression to turn considerably starker. She knew her sister was right but that didn't change your own point. She was trying to form some kind of coherent answer as Greentail spoke to her suddenly.

"And if you three go together, that is our best bet as well. Of course, that is only if you still allow us to follow. I promise I won't be a burden on you." She said even if everyone present knew that was a pure lie. At first, the fastrunner gasped in shock at those words but before she realized, her mind had turned against the other dinosaurs' proposition completely. Her voice was a mix of fear and anger as she finally managed to form some kind of answer.

"But… please, don't be stupid! You all have safe and good lives around here! Orchid and Arial, I know you think what mommy and daddy did is wrong, and it is, but I promise you, they would not hurt you! They hurt me only because I did wrong and you'd be much safer with them! They would still take good care of you and I know they'd love to have you around for mommy's recovery! And Yarel and Greentail, you already said you'd forge yourself a new life around the lake! You could have a silent life out there and I'm sure you'd do well! None of you have to come with me! All of you have a place to stay where you will be just fine! If you follow me, you'll throw all of that away! What can we do about Chomper's parents or mommy and daddy? Wh… Where would we try to go t…" Ruby cried, not really able to decide what to want or believe. She didn't really want to chase her companions away but the words came as if by themselves without any thinking. However, before she managed to finish her rant, she was suddenly blinded by a new flash of light that nearly made her world turn white.

Gasps escaped from the mouths of the fastrunners as they saw the very same dancing lights in the sky that had also been there the very past day. Ruby frowned deeply as she watched at them, not knowing what to think. First she had met Chomper and now these mysterious colors returned again… what in the world was happening? Suddenly everything seemed so very strange and nothing made any sense. Again, they seemed to be rising from the very same direction as before and again, their source seemed to be one small spot far, far in the distance. This time, they started to fade far faster than the first time but they again left a deep impression on the first group. It wasn't long before Arial's voice broke the silence.

"I… it was that again. But… why?" She asked merely, knowing each one of her companions were thinking the exact same thing. Ruby shrugged as an answer, not finding anything to say. She had never seen anything like this before but now they had appeared twice within a day. After a short while, she finally managed to form some coherent words.

"That's something we don't know, Arial. But I do know that something is happening, something we don't know yet." She whispered, not able to tear her thoughts away from the fact that both these lights and Chomper had appeared on the very same day. However, Orchid's next words hit her like a falling tree.

"Then we can try to find out what! That's at least much better than staying here or returning to mommy and daddy!" The boy cried, immediately gathering the other omnivores' eyes towards him. Ruby was the first one to speak.

"Absolutely not, Orchid! We are not going to chase some lights in the middle of a Cold Time with two sharpteeth on our heels!" She cried, her expression taking a frustrated turn as Orchid's even smug look deepened. The younger sibling snapped his answer without further thinking.

"So it's better just to stay here, stalked by those same sharpteeth who'll learn the environment faster than we can? Only to be either attacked or chased after our own parents?" He said, his face suddenly looking dead serious. At first, Ruby thought of trying to shout him silent but it wasn't long until she realized how very little she had to say that would go even close to countering Orchid's proposition. She took a deep breath before she finally managed to form an answer.

"B… but we cannot! What if there's nothing to find? I mean, we'd be heading out there without any real direction? Certainly you others can't agree with him?" She asked, trying to sort out her own thoughts. However, her puzzlement only deepened as the two thinclaws exchanged glances, Greentail able to read her brother's feelings from the little vision she had left. She knew that journey would be a difficult one for her but she was slowly growing more optimistic about her walking. She would follow Yarel as long as she simply could and as long as she could take another breath, she wouldn't resign to her fate. Never mind that spending the rest of her life trying to avoid taking another step would be a death sentence for her kind. She looked at Ruby and spoke carefully.

"As he said, we have little choice. We can't stay here and we have nowhere to go. Many tales have told of lights like these and who knows, maybe we'll find something worth telling ourselves. Truth be told, this wasn't a very good place to stay anyway." She spoke, not able to hide her inner interest in this most mysterious of phenomena. There seemed to be one single place from where all of the lights had come and it would be a thing worth investigating. Arial continued from the thinclaw's comments.

"And the farther we are from mommy and daddy, the better off we all are! If you others are willing to go, so am I!" She exclaimed in a confident voice, not seeing any better way of moving forward. None of Ruby's companions seemed to have many misgivings about that idea and deep inside, the fastrunner couldn't help but feel her natural curiosity rise within her. Her initial misgivings about that quest started to die out as she finally accepted the arguments of her siblings and her friends. And if she would actually discover something worthwhile, it simply wouldn't pay to stay here, only struggling to survive without dreams or hopes about a better tomorrow. She finally gave her companions a brief smile as she finally gave her answer.

"I guess there's no harm in it. I see there's no changing your minds anyway. We may leave tomorrow but first, we have to spend the night safe from this wind! Come, I know just the place where we can rest before leaving tomorrow morning!" She said in clear relief, knowing that any purpose, no matter how vague or far-fetched, would help her in moving on. Just like Chomper had said, she'd have to keep moving on. She wasn't quite ready to reveal her encounter with him to her companions just yet but perhaps one day, she'd find enough courage to do so. For now, she merely looked at the starry night sky and a quick thought flashed through her mind as she thought about everything that had happened.

 _It seems you were right after all, Chomper. Thank you for everything, my friend._

* * *

The fastrunner felt like his heart was doing its all in an effort to escape from his chest, the sensation of its beating only overwhelmed by the horrible sorrow that filled every part of his mind. Everything seemed like some kind of a horrific joke to Detras who did his best not to completely give in to his inner struggles. The male tried to force his way back towards his nest to search for more of the remaining leaves of the Warm Time to stop the bleeding of her mate's eye.

He couldn't even start to think whether it was his encounter with Ruby, his failure to protect his two other children from Dein and Terri's vengeance or the injury and mental breakdown of his mate that hurt him the most. This was the very worst situation that could happen and even the light blue fastrunner, who so very often wanted to see himself as a voice of reason and courage within his family, felt his tears flow down his cheeks. He couldn't block the memories of Ruby's childhood from his mind, all the images of those happy days getting slowly mixed up with her looks of terror, hurt and betrayal that had appeared on her face the second he had tried to send her into the Great Beyond far before her time.

The fastrunner was forced to lean against the wall of stone to his right in a desperate effort to avoid collapsing to the ground. None of this was supposed to happen! If Ruby had kept Chomper safe, if he had succeeded in getting rid of the two sharpteeth or even if he had managed to end Ruby's life… at least some of the pain within his heart would be swept away. Now, however, he had sent Ruby to a lonely, slow death and he had nothing to show for it! Detras cursed himself for thinking like this but he still knew he'd have to keep his family safe, no matter what. And for now, it was her mate who needed her help first. He forced himself back to his feet and resumed his advance towards his nest, determined to prevent as much pain to his beloved mate as he simply could.

As Detras finally reached the mouth of the cave he called his home, he would have wanted to think he'd also see Ruby lying there with her brother and sister, knowing full well how much they loved each other. Yet, he knew that simply wasn't possible and he exhaled in sadness, knowing that it simply would never again happen. However, as he ventured deeper into the tunnel, he suddenly stopped dead in his track and looked before himself in horror.

Not only was Ruby missing but Orchid and Arial as well!

* * *

The pile of ground sparkles under the female's head was already filled with gaping holes formed by her warm tears and drops of blood but that was of no interest to the female. Even her remaining eye couldn't see anything through her endless sobbing, only the searing, sickening pain from her ruined eye competing with her regret. She deserved everything that had happened to her! She had finally revealed what she had been all along: a selfish monster who was always prepared to kill any of her children without any remorse. Pearl's hands turned into fists as she looked at the ground, not seeing any way to escape this horrifying reality.

How could she have done this? She had never even dared to think of this in the past and when her mate had proposed this to her, she had just accepted it like a brainless idiot! And because of her decision, her precious child had been attacked by those who she was supposed to be able to trust the most in this world! By her own parents… Pearl saw within her mind's eyes as she and her mate tore Ruby apart, both of them smiling for a job well done. Neither of them were even distantly thinking of the implications, only that they had "completed their duty"! What utter rubbish! Pearl knew she had had one duty, to protect her children and she had failed beyond miserably!

Her entire head twitched as she brought her hand to her ruined eye, feeling as the terrifying agony seemed to radiate to every single part of her body. Even if she knew just how much losing an eye meant to any dinosaur, she couldn't help but feel something good in it. At the very least, she had been punished for her sick mistake and she would carry this mark of shame and the reminder of her worst moment for all eternity. It suited her kind of disgrace more than well! Pearl was just about to press the damaged orb even more in order to force herself to divert her thoughts away from her guilt and more into her physical pain when she heard a pained voice behind her.

"Turn around, dear. Let us stop the bleeding." Detras said as she looked at his mate's back, fearing about the discussion that was before him. He waited for a few seconds before Pearl finally gave her answer to him.

"Take them away, Detras. I don't want any help anyone can give me." She said, not even turning to look at her mate as she spoke. The male, however, wasn't about to accept that answer and he knelt on the female's side as he gave his answer.

"Don't be silly, my love. Now, I know this will hurt but please, stay still." He said as he raised some of the leaves around Pearl's eye and started to use some partially solidified sap to make them stay at least for a while. He was slightly annoyed as Pearl didn't make his job any easier as she should know that this situation wasn't any easier for him! Yet, he simply couldn't watch his mate in this condition. He was nearly finished until the female finally spoke to him.

"We deserved all of this. We are monsters who don't deserve to raise even one child ever again. I even wish Ruby would have injured me even more." She said, not seeming to pay any heed to her mate's aid. Detras frowned deeply, his own feathers also completely wet from his own tears. He fought hard to keep his composure together as he gave his answer. He already dreaded having to tell Pearl the whole terrible truth this close to her in her already frail mental state but Pearl didn't deserve to be lied to, not today.

"I know, dear. But it only gets worse. Both Arial and Orchid are gone." He said simply, not able to say anything more himself. He made sure to finish covering Pearl's injuries without speaking those words as he knew exactly what the reaction would be. He hadn't taken those news in any more easily. Pearl's good eye flashed open immediately as she turned at the male with a horrified look in her eyes.

"What? That… cannot be true! Please me that isn't true!" She cried at Detras who gave only a sad look at her as an answer. Pearl's breathing intensified immediately as she started to think about those implications. Her precious babies… along with Ruby… all of them gone… She suddenly spoke to her mate, her eye glanced towards the horizon with a look of fear and horror.

"T… they must have gone after, Ruby! But what if they don't find her in that storm? They… they may be freezing out there or they can be found by a sharptooth! Oh orchid and Arial… why did you go…" She stuttered as she did her best to calm in this moment of shock. Detras looked at her in agreement as he gave his answer to her grief-stricken mate, nodding as he spoke.

"You're completely correct, Pearl. I'm afraid one of them saw what happened and did what was to be expected. And I cannot say I blame. Just forgive me for what I've done. I thought what I did was right but… I just ruined everything!" The name said as his composure slowly started to break. Pearl looked at him with a clearly apologetic look but she was in no position to even try to console him. She merely looked at him as she whispered her answer.

"I should have known far better than to do what you said, Detras. All our lives, you have made only the right decisions but… now you were wrong. We both were in so many ways." She said as she looked at her mate who hesitated between completely giving up to his inner despair and retaining at least a modicum of self-control. Tears started to again fall down his cheeks as he spoke.

"No matter what we'll do, they'll never again see us the same way. Nor will I ever forgive myself. I'm… I'm just very sorry it was you and Ruby who had to pay." He said, struggling to find anything to say. Pearl fought to catch a breath in order to even have a hope of calming down. Shen then turned at her mate and whispered to him, knowing just how miserable her own words were but she also knew that they haunted her mind in this delicate hour.

"I deserved it, Detras. Every singly damn bit of it. I wouldn't have blamed her even if she had torn away my other eye as well. I… I just wish I knew what to do now. We aren't her family anymore, dear. Not after what we did. You realize what that means?" She asked, her mind falling into an ever-deepening cycle of self-loathing. She knew she had no right to ever ask for forgiveness from anyone but neither could she live without her children.

Detras sighed deeply as he suddenly hit his head against the nearby wall of rock. Yes, he knew just how bad things really were and he feared he didn't have the heart to meet his daughter ever again. He even toyed with the idea of simply waiting for Dein and Terri's reaction and face their vengeance the way an honorable fastrunner should. However, there was also one competing thought within his mind, one that her mate had overlooked in her pain. Detras took a deep breath as he spoke again, knowing that his idea would only cause more misery and pain to everyone but he simply saw no better way of moving forward.

"I know how you feel, dear, but we simply cannot let them go. I could pray from the Bright Circle and the lesser lights that Ruby could survive out there but we simply cannot let Orchid and Arial go." He said, cringing deeply. He had no idea how his idea would turn out but as he thought of his children shivering in the cold, hungry and freezing… A fearful disgust rose within him. However, he was soon interrupted by the female whose answer surprised Detras greatly.

"We have no choice, dear. At least we can hope they'll be safe. We have no choice but to let them go. I have no heart to face them anymore." She said, deep in her thoughts but she was suddenly taken aback by her mate's angered voice. Detras was in little better mood than the female but he still wasn't ready to completely resign to his fate.

"Just listen to yourself! Whether or not we deserve it, we still are their parents and we simply cannot stay here while they head into who knows where and very possibly getting killed in the process! We have to at least make sure they're alright! That's the least we can do even if they'll never forgive us for what we did!" The male raged, causing Pearl to fall deeper into her thoughts. She had trusted Detras before with disastrous results but this time, some tiny voice deep within her told her that he was right. And she couldn't deny that she'd gladly take any chance to help her precious children. Whereas last time she had tried to take Ruby's life, this time she'd try to save that of her siblings. After a short while of silence, she gave her answer.

"I guess you are right. Orchid and Arial will never make it out there without our help. I still fear that Dein and Terri will want to have Ruby's head… and ours as well now. We failed to fulfill our part of the agreement, after all." She said, frowning as she looked at the endless plains surrounding the Desolate Rise, thinking of everything that would follow soon enough. However, her words didn't have the impact she had expected on the male. Instead, Detras rose to his full height and narrowed his eyes as he spoke.

"Let them come. It is high time we take a stand against those bastards like a true fastrunner would. They will never again tell us who deserves to live or die." He said, cursing the moment he had proposed that deal to the sharpteeth. From now on, he would spare no effort or danger to keep all his family safe, no matter what. Inside, he knew that could be a short path but he would not compromise with them anymore. Pearl nodded at him in approval, glad to see this change within her mate. Both of the fastrunners knew that this day had already changed everything in their lives but before the end, they'd do their all to make things better for their children, no matter the cost.

* * *

"Ruby, I'm freezing. I simply hate the Cold Time!" Arial said as she walked after her sister, the weather starting to get under her feathers slowly but surely. In the five days since her and her companions' departure from the Desolate Rise, there hadn't fallen anymore of the frozen sky stars but the weather had only grown more freezing in its stead. Ruby knew that her sister was starting to suffer from it but still, there was nothing she or anyone else could do about it. Her voice suited her frustration as she snapped back at her.

"I know, Arial! You don't have to tell me about it all the time. You should at least be happy that these woods block most of the wind! If we still were at those wastes, then it would get real cold! So try to be silent and follow us!" She said as she looked at Arial's expression. Inside, she was rather concerned about her but this was something Arial would simply have to get over. That was one of the reasons she had asked her to accompany her and Yarel on this early morning's forage for some, any food in this thick forest they had reached the previous evening. She couldn't wait until tomorrow when this morning's journey would be up to the other half of her small group of companions as there was no reason for all of them to be bothered every day. Ruby was woken from her thoughts as Yarel snapped at the younger female in a slightly annoyed voice.

"Besides, you agreed to come along with us! The Cold Time isn't any easier for us others but our kinds are better suited for this than many others! So be a proper halftooth and get a hold of yourself!" He said, echoing Ruby's sentiment. He shivered himself and he knew it had to be even worse for a younger child but still, he wasn't in a mood to listen to her whining right now. However, Arial wasn't about to as she was told, instead asking another question that immediately earned a collective sigh from both of her companions.

"But what can we even hope to find here? We've found no green food anywhere! It's all hopeless!" She cried before Yarel suddenly looked back at her and spoke in an even sterner voice than before.

"And it gets all the more hopeless if you don't stay silent! We all know food is scarce but we have no choice but to find some somewhere! At least on the Desolate Rise you would have had food but too bad that it is too late for you to return there!" He snapped, finally causing Arial to realize her own pitifulness. Ruby frowned at her companion's last words but didn't want to add anything to them. She was happy that Yarel had forgiven her earlier disregard for Greentail and now, he was an invaluable help moving forward. Without him, things…

Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a new smell and she raised her head higher to sniff the air. She turned to look at her left into the thick woods, the pale light of the Cold Time's morning hardly even making its way through the trees. Arial stopped beside her sister before cocking her head and asking the older fastrunner the obvious question.

"What is it, Ruby? Is something wrong?" She asked, immediately fearing for the worst. Sharpteeth were a mortal danger even in this season and at first, Ruby seemed more than a little concerned about whatever she smelled. After a few seconds, she looked at the other girl and spoke with a whisper.

"Just follow me and try to make as little noise as possible! Quickly, now!" She said as Yarel nodded at her in approval, apparently also smelling whatever Ruby had smelled, his hopeful look calming Arial down as well. Ruby cringed at the sound of her legs sinking into the ground sparkles as that sound alone broke the near-completely tranquility of the woods but it simply couldn't be helped now. She simply prayed this quest wouldn't have a tragic ending.

A minute after minute passed as the trio advanced slowly, each sound of the wind or movement of a ground fuzzy alerting them for a possible fight or escape. However, Ruby was increasingly courage that the smell of the swimmer seemed to be drawing closer as a lengthy chase was something she wanted to avoid. Finally, the smell was strong enough that she raised her hand, ordering them to stop immediately. The swimmer had to be very near and the trio simply couldn't alert it to their presence. The wind was blowing from a very favorable direction so sounds were the only thing that could ever reveal their location to their possible prey. All of the fastrunners wanted to avoid hunting but if they had to do it, a swimmer was one of their safest bets. Ruby sighed as she took another step and glanced to the small clearing before her… her smile widening immediately. She called to her companions immediately in a more normal voice.

"It's alright! The swimmer is long dead! We found ourselves a free meal!" She cried with a wide smile, looking at the cheers of her two companions. This would be the first good meal any of them had had since their departure from the Desolate Rise and they would have to be savored each and every time. Arial was the first to head towards the swimmer, chuckling as she spoke.

"Well done, Ruby! Thank you for guiding us here! B… but why did the swimmer die? Was it sick?" She asked in deep worry, looking at Ruby with a torn expression. She knew that eating a sick dinosaur was more often than not dangerous and that her kind had to make sure that its cause of death hadn't been some horrifying illness. However, it was Yarel who answered to her after sniffing the dead swimmer for a few times first.

"It's okay, Arial. There's no trace of any kind of sickness in him. He most likely died because of the cold as there are not any kind of injuries within him. It's safe." He said to Arial whose hesitating look lingered for a few more seconds before she moved to Yarel's side, starting eat the swimmer's abdomen thankfully. That moment was suddenly cut short as Yarel suddenly looked at Ruby and asked her with a thoughtful look.

"Say, Ruby, isn't this the same swimmer we met just before we finally found the Rise? I thought there was something familiar in him the moment I saw him." He said while he looked at his meal with a slightly apologetic gaze. Ruby's eyes widened as he realized that Yarel had been correct but in the end, that mattered little to the girl. He had helped her and her companions, true, but they had met only once. Her voice was an unmoved one as she answered.

"I believe you're correct, Yarel. Still, he's the only meal we have here and it's fitting he'd help us again, now isn't it?" She asked with a slight smirk, trying to find some humor in this another day of searching and shivering. The girl was just about to join her companions in eating the swimmer… as she suddenly smelled something else that made her stand still. She suddenly interrupted the two other omnivores again as she turned around.

"Wait a little longer. There's another swimmer here and that means whatever it means. Follow me." She said, knowing that there was either a threat or more food nearby. Immediately, her two companions realized these implications as well and crouched towards the ground immediately. Ruby could tell that the other dinosaur couldn't be far away and also that it had to be younger than she had first anticipated. And there was something familiar within that scent… no, that couldn't be possible. It just couldn't. She threw away her thoughts and tried to concentrate on the task before her… while her doubts still lingered within her.

The fastrunner did her best to touch as few of the small, dead bushes around her as little as possible even if she was completely concentrated on the shady woods before herself. Her mind whirled terribly as she thought about what she'd find here. And soon enough, she saw a small, unmoving form before her and on that moment, only a single yelp escaped the fastrunner's mouth.

"Ducky? Can that really be you?"

* * *

 **And yep, I believe this is one revelation many have waited for a long time. It seems another member of the Gang has been found but in what kind of condition? And does she know anything about the rest of the main characters? This chapter again contained many scenes that changed the course of the story and I decided to give my some reprieve from the gloom of the last chapters. Truth be told, I wasn't initially planning to include the first scene in this story but it was Eris' review that made me realize it could really fit here so thanks for the idea, Eris! I hope you liked this chapter and see you in the next installment!**

 **TimeLordMaster108: It's great to see a review from you. As for your points, I doubt revealing details about the ending would be a good idea but I'll try to shed light into that as soon as possible. I'm aware some people find this story too dark and I have to admit, fate has been far from kind to our heroes but I believe I've emphasized many times why exactly Petrie and Ruby move forward. As long as there is life, there is hope. But I agree, there hasn't been a real conclusion for this story in sight but this chapter starts the buildup for the eventual encore. I just thought it would be fun to keep the conclusion as a secret for this long.**

 **And again, I revealed that another chapter has survived at least for now. Even if happened to be Ducky, I still strive to choose the most interesting way forward in my fics even if it contains a demise of a major character. That's just the way I do stuff. And yeah, there might have been mischaracterizations in the first parts of this story so I apologize for that. Thanks again for the detailed review!**

 **The Rhombus: Yes, I thought it would be nice for Petrie to meet someone who understands him after all this time and Guido's help certainly provided Petrie with a reminder that he still isn't all alone in the world. I find it fun to write dialogues where the experiences of the characters are too far from each other for them to be able to truly understand the other's point. Here, Guido was mostly forced to listen to his friend's words while realizing his worries were really minor ones. There is still much for Petrie to find out but at least he now knows he still has someone who waits for his return.**

 **OwlsCantRead: Your observation about Petrie's relationship with his gift of flight was a really interesting one as you are right that he might be expected to be humbler about it. However, I'd say it's clear that Petrie has grown to be a masterful flyer during his adventures and I see that he has made his flying a more integral part of himself once he finally found the ability to help his friends in his own way. Also, it has been many years since he couldn't fly so he might regard that as distant past.**

 **But yep, this injury provided him with another chance to see just how lucky he is to be able to escape many of the dangers of the world below. As for your thoughts about the future, you'll find out the answers to them soon enough. Keep the reviews up as they have been really interesting to read!**


	35. Another Dead End?

**Another Dead End?**

After days of seemingly never-ending gloom, the barrage of sky puffies started to slowly disintegrate, allowing the frail rays of the Bright Circle cast their light upon the large mountain range. It wasn't enough to warm any of the dinosaurs taking refuge in the Streli's Hills but even a small sighting of light was enough to lift the spirits of many after a flight they had already thought would never end. The light was a perfect companion to the relative relief after the many battles that had taken the lives of many of their friends and relatives. However, that temporary brightness was completely lost on one flyer who looked at his deputies with a stern look. Deep frowns could be seen on his face as he spoke.

"I cannot overstate how intolerable all of this is! It has been a week since we got rid of that bastard Peak and already some are blaming me of all our losses in saving us from his and Nira's blight! And even worse, some have gotten the idea that it was me who ordered Deron's attack on us! Why, may I ask?" He said, his already pale face only losing more of its color as he did his best to avoid suffering a total meltdown. He had been more than happy with himself when he had managed to finish that journey of death and pain and hearing accusations towards him from his followers wasn't something he was going to tolerate.

Lenel knew that there was likely much bitterness towards him among Peak and Nira's former herds but he had hoped that this newfound sense of safety would drown at least most of the criticism among them. Slight voices of dissent could be expected but the intensity with which certain rumors seemed to spread these days was something that concerned the male greatly. He had hoped that there could be another explanation for this but his doubts had slowly transformed into real suspicion: there was someone working against him in this pitiful range of mountains. The highest-ranking flyer's mood was hardly boosted when he heard Taria's answer.

"Excuse me, Lenel, but I believe some are only confused by the loss of their leaders. Such rumors should die out in time one the others realize just how ridiculous such claims truly are." She said somewhat nervously, knowing full well the depth of Lenel's anger. He had made clear he wanted the situation calmed down as soon as possible but things were taking a turn for the worse. If those rumors were accepted by most of the herd, Lenel's position could be in peril far sooner than any had expected. Sireia looked at the other female and snapped back at her in slight annoyance.

"You should know better than to propose something like that, Taria. You know very well we must act before lies corrupt the minds of our herd. We cannot wait." She said, earning a look of apology from the deputy. A brief moment of silence followed but it was soon broken by the fourth participant in this meeting. Haste's voice was an unreadable one as she looked at the slopes below the four flyers, filled with their followers as well as other herds.

"That we cannot, Sireia. Lenel is right: we cannot count the possibility of our foes seizing this chance to plot against us. After all, things got worse soon after we arrived to the Hills." Her face turned even darker as she spoke, implying she was more than serious about her allegations. Lenel frowned deeply as he heard those words, the female's presence slowly starting to worry him. Something within her had started to raise suspicions within the male, not least because of the way she had ended up as his deputy. Deep down, the pale flyer even questioned her loyalty but even then, he couldn't take rash decisions. She had done nothing worthy of his condemnation and even worse, she was an indispensable ally in upholding his authority within the herd. Lenel hid his thoughts masterfully as he answered the other flyer.

"It indeed is regretful there are so many other herds around here, Haste. I believe we're both thinking of the same possibility." He asked, willing to hear if he indeed could read the slightly shorter dinosaur's line of thinking. Even if he had certain reservations against Nira's sister, he still wanted to believe his true foes were further away from him than that. It was even probable that Haste hadn't moved a finger against him but until he was sure of it, he'd follow her moves closely. Haste's face was unmoved as she answered.

"If you believe that our old foes might take this chance to attack us using the other herds, we indeed are. It was regretful that Peak managed to flee from that fight. If I were him, I wouldn't rest until I had my revenge." She said, looking at the majestic, white mountains that seemed to rise closer to the skies than any other place she had ever laid her eyes upon. Streli's Hills were higher than even hundreds of longnecks piled upon each other, a place worthy of honoring the great hero by bearing his name. Yes, it was a majestic place but it mattered little to the female. Lenel frowned deeply as he walked closer to Haste to observe the sight, thinking of her words. His voice was beyond thoughtful as he answered.

"Yes, I doubt we've seen the last of Peak even if his sight must be terribly weakened. However, we have no proof he is in any way involved in these rumors and in fact, we don't know if he is even anywhere near us." He merely said, not willing to make it seem like he was blaming his deputy for anything. He wanted to keep all his cards to himself in case anything regretful should happen. Haste was about to answer when Taria spoke to her leader.

"Of course you are right but she might have a point. We don't know if any of the other herds' leaders are Peak's allies or friends. There is a clear chance that we might overlook a major threat if we ignore the chance that someone here is plotting against us." She said, knowing that was one thing she could help her leader with. Lenel glanced at her in interest, weighing her words deeply. He then sighed as he looked at the pale form of the Bright Circle.

"I tend to agree, Taria. We have to get a closer look at the other leaders before we can start to make further arrangements for our coexistence here until the Warm Time arrives again. However, all three of you, remember to keep your eyes open. Whether it is Peak, Deron or someone else, someone here is attempting to sabotage our work in our herd. Trying to find out who is our foremost task. Remember that." He said, his face tensing up as he gave that order. Haste and Taria nodded to him immediately and they took off without further words. Lenel looked after them for a while before turning at Sireia and speaking to his mate in a low voice.

"Especially keep an eye on Haste, my love. I fear she may not have told us everything about her ambitions." He said but almost before he had finished his words, Sireia took a more serious look than before. The rather heavily-built female looked her mate in the eyes and crossed her arms as she spoke.

"I've noticed the very same thing. Her efforts to show her loyalty to us at every turn is something I don't like in the least." She said, surprising Lenel with her words. The male knew her mate was a clever flyer and it were times like these that made her more than happy she was here with him. He finally let out a slight smile as he spoke to the light-tan dinosaur.

"And here I even thought whether or not I should tell you about it. Apparently I was wrong to even consider such things." He said as he looked into the horizon, investigating the mighty river that flowed far, far in the distance through a frozen bog. His smile deepened as he heard Sireia's answer to his words.

"Of course you should tell me about everything! That's what we have done ever since we first met." She said even if there was no hint of blame in her voice. Lenel then turned at the female and his voice turned to his more normal one slowly but surely.

"I'm grateful that you remind me of that once in a while." He said simply, earning a slight chuckle from Sireia. She was just about to answer when he heard a loud yelp behind him.

"Lenel, your presence is needed elsewhere! Kero and Northwind have returned and they say they have news that will interest you greatly!" The courier said, his voice signaling that he knew just how important this issue was for Lenel. The pale flyer exchanged glances with Sireia, his heart jumping as he heard those words. He had waited eagerly for their return and with any chance, today could turn out to be one of the greatest days of his life. He answered to the courier immediately.

"Waste no time and show us the way!"

* * *

There had been more than a few times when Petrie thought like he simply couldn't flap his wings anymore during the last day of flying. His wings felt heavier than rocks and his breathing seemed to sound more forced by the second. There had even been a few occasions when the boy felt like his gaze was turning black from his fatigue but still, he knew had to keep going forward. If he lost the sight of his former companions, he knew he'd never be able to find them again, greatly diminishing his chances of ever finding Littlefoot or his family again. But even then, trying to keep up with the two larger flyers while doing his best to hide his presence from them was something that was far more difficult than he had initially expected.

Yet, day after day passed and he never let the thought of why he had embarked on this story slip away from his mind. His determination alone enabled him to fly faster than ever before and to ignore his fatigue and exhaustion, all of those struggles only driving him towards a happy ending for this Cold Time of misery and tragedy. He would live to see its end and he would find Littlefoot, no matter what.

When the sight of the mighty mountains finally appeared before Petrie, he nearly fainted from relief. These hills sticking up from the never-ending steppe had to be the fabled Streli's Hills, the place he had been looking for so long that Petrie felt like it had happened in some distant, other life. This was the place uncle Pterano had spoken of so very often, the place he had so badly wanted to reach with his nephew. A wave of melancholy swept over Petrie at those memories but in the end, he was too tired to really mourn about the relative happiness he had lost not so long ago.

Almost immediately after he had spotted his destination, he finally lowered his altitude and took a course different from that of his companions. He couldn't care less about what Kero and Northwind would do from now on, all he cared was to find those so very precious to him. And the best way was to take a brief look whether there were any signs of his precious family among the gathered flyers. After the boy made sure the two older males wouldn't be able to recognize him, Petrie rose far higher into the sky and headed upwards, gasping as he saw just how very high the mighty mountains went.

His eyes widened slightly as the wall of stone never seemed to end no matter how high he went. The walls of the Great Valley were nothing compared to Streli's Hills but eventually, Petrie managed to reach the point where more and more flyers started to appear behind him. The boy looked in slight shock at the sheer number of his kind out here but even then, he remembered that there were supposed to be many herds gathered around this season. But no matter how hard he tried to look, there was no sign of his family. But even then, he knew that finding them like that would have been a miracle but it was more than likely that someone here would be able to help him. It wasn't long before he started to see familiar faces on the higher slopes of the mountains. It seemed like practically everyone who had lived through the great battle against Peak's followers had survived the rest of the flight here. A promising sign for their future cooperation, Petrie figured.

However, that still didn't solve his problem. He needed to find at least someone who could help him without making his presence known to any potentially hostile flyers that might still blame him for what he did to Hoist. Now, where to begin… Petrie's eyes widened as he saw the only friend he had made talk with the boy he could now recognize as Brownbeak far in the distance. Maybe, just maybe, she could help him with his search?

And even if she couldn't, Petrie was more than excited to exchange a word or two with the other flyer even if he knew the duo's reunion would be short-lived. He took a deep breath as he headed towards her, hoping to receive at least some help from Glide in evaluating whether the new herds were trustworthy or whether they should be avoided. But no matter what, this would be a great opportunity to shake off the worst fears of his journey and to meet the friend again he had already thought he'd never see again.

* * *

"How many times do I have to tell you that it would be beyond foolish to try to try to find the highest peak of these mountains, Brownbeak? It's already cold enough here as it is!" She said as she put her hands on her hips, not exactly excited about the male's answer. She was more than annoyed by this conversation as the more days passed, the more she started to realize the two flyers didn't seem to have anything in common anymore. Brownbeak also frowned at her answer before he gave his answer.

"Come on, Glide! We simply cannot stay in our nests the entire Cold Time! Besides, this is a place of legend! We have the opportunity to find out its secrets and we simply cannot sit still until we head off again!" He said pleadingly, also growing slightly annoyed with the other flyer's antics. He was beyond captivated by the majesty of these mountains and he wanted to see whether they truly continued all the way into the skies. Besides, it had been told that Streli had flown higher than even the lesser lights themselves in this place and thus bought the flyers the gift to rule the skies forever. He simply had to explore this amazing place while he had the chance. Glide, however, didn't seem to budge from her stance in the least.

"Even that is better than to freeze out there or get attacked by some sharptooth flyer! Brownbeak, I know this is a famed place but we have to remember who we are! Just look out there! The mountains get only higher all the time in that direction and we would get too far away from our herd and you know what that would mean." She said, looking at the sloping hillsides which blocked the views to the north completely. Brownbeak snorted deeply at those words, understanding her point completely but that did little for him to drop his proposition.

"When did you become such a scaredy-egg, Glide? I remember when you were even braver than I was!" He said, hoping to get through to Glide even now. However, the girl's face turned only harder as she answered.

"Ever since over half of our herd was slaughtered practically before our eyes! It would be foolish to think bad things can't happen and I have no will to join all those bloody, mutilated corpses that littered the ground. Or would you wish to join your teacher, Brownbeak?" She asked in a voice that was even harsher than she had intended but it seemed to get the point through. Brownbeak seemed to be readying for another argument but then his face fell. Indeed, Blackclaw's loss still haunted him greatly and inside, he realized he owned it also to him to avoid taking completely foolish risks. His voice was almost resigned as he answered.

"You are right, Glide. I just wished we didn't have to live that way." He said merely, annoyed that he had been forced to resign like that. Glide's face softened slightly as she prepared to answer but before she had the chance for that, she was interrupted by a voice she had already started to miss.

"Uhh… Is it okay for Petrie to interrupt?" He said in a rather happy voice, immediately widening Glide's eyes completely. It had been over a week since the two had last met but it seemed to have happened many cycles of the Night Circle ago. She immediately turned around and spoke to the boy in utter surprise.

"Why, it is! But why… How are you here?" She asked, stuttering deeply. She had already considered him as good as dead to her by now but here he was again. She smiled widely as Petrie landed beside her, Brownbeak smiling slightly at this interruption. Petrie panted for a few seconds before he finally managed to catch his breath.

"Hi again, Glide. It true that Petrie should be home right now but… me plans changed all of a sudden." He said simply, deciding against stealing all the attention from Glide's possible news. Yet, it was Brownbeak who answered first and his voice was somewhat cold as he spoke.

"I saw you already many times but we've never really spoken. So, wasn't even your Valley good enough for you? Or did you finally realize just how pitiful that place really is?" He asked with a slight sneer, more than disgusted by Petrie's old home. Petrie's face fell slightly at that question but before he got the chance to defend himself, Glide turned at Brownbeak and spoke in a nearly threatening voice.

"Shut up, Brownbeak! He beat Hoist which makes him better than most of those pathetic fools within our herd! Including both of us." She said almost threateningly, causing Brownbeak's initial bravado to die down. Petrie looked at the duo with a slightly confused look but he was happy that Glide hadn't changed her opinion of him during these days they hadn't met each other. He waited for a short moment before answering to Brownbeak.

"Thanks, Glide. And Brownbeak… Petrie not sure what to say. Certainly, the Valley has changed since Petrie last saw it… and not for the better. But that not the real reason me here today." He said, earning a questioning look from the other boy. Brownbeak decided against giving any kind of answer to Petrie's words and it was Glide who spoke next.

"At least our herd has avoided any further attacks since you were away, Petrie. I've seen many are unhappy with Lenel but still, few are ready for another battle. And daddy has been away for a good while now so that's also good." She said, more than happy that her life seemed to slowly be turning to be safer after those weeks of fear and violence. Petrie nodded at her slowly before speaking to the girl with a slightly apologizing voice.

"Uhh… in fact, your daddy was sent to help me return to the Valley. So now that Petrie back, your daddy be too." He said as he crossed his hands behind his back, smiling at Glide awkwardly. The latter's face fell immediately as she heard those words and she sighed deeply.

"Simply great, Petrie. Well, I guess I'll hear of him soon enough anyway. Not that I was in any hurry for any of that." She said wearily as Brownbeak gave her a slightly mocking look. Petrie then cleared his throat as he wanted to ease the atmosphere between the three flyers. He figured this would be the best time to tell why exactly he was here.

"Me sorry, Glide. But as for Petrie, we three reached the Valley and me guess your daddy and Kero succeeded in whatever they were doing. But Petrie wasn't. Me wanted to find me friends and family in the Valley but all of them were gone from there long ago. There was nothing for Petrie there anymore." He said, hoping he'd learn something, anything of worth, from Glide and her friend. Brownbeak frowned deeply as he walked closer to Petrie and spoke to him.

"Gone? Gone where exactly?" He asked in a far more inquisitive manner than Petrie would have liked. He took a step back and gave the other boy a look of displeasure as he answered.

"That exactly the question Petrie would like to know! One of the flyers in the Valley told Petrie that this place a good place to search for any clues as there are many flyers here during Cold Times! She said there a real chance that someone would know me momma, brothers and sisters!" He said, causing both Glide and Brownbeak glance at each other in slight surprise. It was true there were many herds out here but still, it was a desperate thought that even one of these flyers would be able to help. Still, Glide asked Petrie the obvious question in case his answer would miraculously bring anything to her mind.

"What's her name, Petrie?" She asked simply, looking at him with a concerned look. Petrie's eyes widened for a while as he very rarely even thought that his mother had an actual name as he had never called her with it or mentioned it to anyone else. Yet, it wasn't until a few seconds later when he heard the obvious words leave his mouth.

"Her name Volant. She light blue and she must be with me brothers and sisters." He said even stoically, causing Glide to frown in response. She hadn't expected to be of any help to her friend but she still wanted to ask in case some kind of miracle would have happened. She then looked at Petrie and answered to him with an apologetic voice.

"I doubt I've seen her anywhere out here. And Petrie… I'm not sure if it's a good idea for you to go speak to each and every flyer around here about her. Not only would it take forever but lonely flyers often tend to avoid large herds because… they could get into trouble easily." She answered, knowing just how accepting most herds were towards outsiders. However, her words did little to sate the boy's yearning for a happy reunion.

"Then what you think, Glide? Is there another way you'd search for me family?" He said in a starker voice, sounding even ruder than he had originally meant to. He immediately noticed his slight mistake which caused Glide's mood clearly but still, she didn't show much of it in her answer.

"I don't know, Petrie. It's just that… here in the Mysterious Beyond it is often difficult to find someone if you have no idea where they went or if they don't want to be found." She said with a glum voice, realizing how very depressing her words must have sounded to Petrie. The male prepared to snap back at his friend when he suddenly noticed a menacing shadow rise behind her. He jumped around in fear and prepared to face whoever the newcomer was. However, he was surprised to see that it was an ancient,, deep gray flyer whose eyes seemed rather dim but they still saw more than clearly. But in many other ways, this dinosaur reminded him of old Swooper back in the Valley. He suddenly realized that he should have greeted him back there but those thoughts were quickly pushed to the fringes of her mind as the old flyer spoke.

"You are completely right, young lady. But both of you should know that there is always a way to reunite with a loved one, no matter how far away they are." He said in a squeaky voice. Petrie took a few steps back, not really trusting the other dinosaur after his surprising entrance. He stuttered slightly as he spoke to the ancient flyer.

"Oh… Okay. B… but before we speak about that, wh… who are you? And why you sneak at Petrie like that?" He asked, slightly calming down as he saw the old male stand still, looking at him with an investigating gaze. He waited for a long before finally giving his answer.

"Some have long ago known me as Brightrise but most seem to remember me just as the Elder of Streli's Hills. I am the only flyer who lives here and as you may guess, I have heard many things during my life here. And I couldn't avoid hearing your tale, young one." He said, looking deep into Petrie's eyes. The boy gulped deeply as he prepared to answer, not able to quite decide what the older flyer was going after.

"Alright... But what does that have to do with Petrie?" He asked, looking at the older male with a slightly suspicious look. Glide and Brownbeak looked at Brightrise with an equal amount of confusion but decided to stay silent for now. The old flyer, however, didn't seem to react to their concerns in any way. Instead, he took a faraway gaze and looked far into the horizon as he spoke.

"I'm surprised none of you have heard of me. After all, many seek me out when they want to find help with something only a select few know. In fact, I'd say I've given advice to more dinosaurs than you'll ever meet during your life." He said, causing Petrie's mind to be even more suspicious of the old male. He didn't like in the least about the way he had made his entrance and Petrie would have at least wanted to receive clear, direct answers. This time it was Glide who spoke to Brightrise with an even annoyed voice.

"But you didn't answer our question! What is it that you want?" She said, causing the older flyer to look at her with an odd look. He refrained from walking towards her but it was clear the next words were directed right at her.

"Your father is one of the brightest flyers I've met in my entire life, Glide. Trying to find out the other's motives is often a winning strategy in many situations and you have clearly inherited that suspicion. Most excellent. But as for why I'm here, I want to give you one hint. One hint that will help you even find someone from the endless wastes of our world." He said as he turned at Petrie as he finished. Glide's eyes widened as he knew her name, not really expecting that her father was this well known around here. She knew that many flyers respected him greatly but that hardly raised her opinion about him. Brightrise then bowed at Petrie and spoke to him without allowing him a chance to cut him short.

"As for you, I don't know what disaster has forced you and your friends away from the Valley but what I know is that our world is too wide for you to simply search for them without any directions. You will spend your seasons wandering alone and even then, you will find nothing of worth. Luckily, I believe a certain flyer's legacy may help you in your search. I trust even flyers in the Valley have heard about Olres?" He asked, crossing his hands behind his back as he cocked his head at Petrie. Petrie frowned deeply as he looked at the other flyer, his curiosity finally rising. He looked at the older flyer and his voice was rather stern as he answered, looking the ancient flyer in his eyes.

"Olres… Petrie has heard that name many times by now but me has already cast it aside as me haven't really cared about him! But you bring it up again. Why?" He asked, finally willing to get some insight into this name that surfaced again and again among the other flyers. His thoughts were even further complicated as he heard Brownbeak speak to the older flyer shortly.

"You can't be serious! That is just a story! You cannot even think of claiming that any of it really happened, do you?" He asked from Brightrise who in turn glanced at the boy with a condescending look.

"I hope you aren't claiming to know more than me, are you?" He simply asked, causing Brownbeak to merely snort as an answer. Petrie, however, wasn't amused by those words and he demanded again.

"What you two talking about? Please, tell Petrie what you know!" He said, willing to hear any ideas on how to find his long-lost family and Littlefoot. Brightrise slowly turned back at Petrie and waited for a moment before answering. When he did, his voice was deeper and even overly dramatic for the boy.

"I never thought that I'd meet a flyer who knew nothing of him. In any case, Olres was the most celebrated of the great flyers of old, one whose memory we hold the most dear these days. He is also the one who turned Lenel's family into the mighty, respected line he represents today. Yet, it is one particular thing within Olres' tale that has interested many flyers during the seasons that I've been here and I'd be surprised if there hadn't been far more in the ages past. But to give you the idea of this most important of stories, you have to hear at least the rough version of what happened the day our kind faced its greatest danger ever." He said, causing Petrie's interest rise even further. It really seemed like this was a tale he should have heard a long time ago and if this old flyer thought it could help him in some way, then what was the harm in allowing him to say what he had to say?

"Okay, Petrie listen." He said simply, causing the older flyer to smile slightly as he cleared this throat. Glide and Brownbeak also moved a bit closer as they also wanted to know if this dinosaur knew something they hadn't been told earlier. The flyer's old but sharp eyes shifted from one of his listeners to the other as he started to speak.

"Now, where should I begin? Oh, that's right. As you most likely have already heard before, in the old, distant times they were the flyers who ruled this entire world. That doesn't mean there weren't other kinds out there but they were far smaller and weaker than the kinds we see today. Only we were able to work together and share the lands between ourselves in peace and in many ways, that was a paradise for our kind. That era of mighty flyers, of great stories and never-ending peace lasted thousands upon thousands of cycles of the Bright Circle, far longer than even I can truly understand."

Petrie listened to the tale with interest but he couldn't help but notice just how very closely this beginning resembled to the tales uncle Pterano had told him when he was but a helpless hatchling. He had always loved his stories and he would have wanted to hear this from his uncle's beak. The boy remembered that he had actually promised to tell him of all the great flyers of the past in time, a thought that nearly tore Petrie's thoughts away from Brightrise's words. He then asked a brief question that had always lingered within his mind.

"Petrie has heard all that but why things changed? Why aren't things like that anymore?" He asked, yearning for a paradise like the one the older flyer had just described. All thoughts of his friends were suddenly swept away as he thought of that kind of world where he could for once find safety and comfort. The grey dinosaur looked at Petrie for a moment before he continued.

"Indeed, many of us ask the same thing. However, we simply have to acknowledge that sometimes things change, regardless of whether we want it or not. In this case, during those times, the other kinds grew stronger and more intelligent over time, something our ancestors noticed as well. At first, they thought that things could be allowed to develop without them having to do anything. After all, their situation was still one that none of them believed could ever be threatened. But as sad as it is, that wasn't to be.

In addition to them growing in intelligence, their numbers also started to grow far faster than before. We, the flyers, were in many ways left behind by these escalating developments and before long, the landwalkers started to work together against us and one land after another, we were pushed back. We simply couldn't stand against the landwalkers' numbers." He said with a bitter voice, shivering as a colder gust suddenly swept beside the four flyers. He again took a brief pause as he caught his breath. Glide crossed her arms, somewhat disappointed that the tale had been practically the same she had already heard earlier.

Petrie, on the other hand, was slightly taken aback by the tale thus far. Of course, there had to have happened something terrible that had caused the flyers to lose their position so very long ago but to hear things like that about the landwalkers… Petrie remembered very well how badly the herds had despised each other during their journey into the Valley but things like these had mostly been wiped away from his mind in the Valley. But if the other flyer's words were true, there were far worse things that had happened in the past than even the recent massacre inside his very own herd. He gulped as Brightrise continued to speak.

"Even worse, as some herds started to lose their homes to the landwalkers, they were forced to flee to the lands of the other flyers', resulting in ever-growing discord and fighting inside our own kind. The newcomers would have wanted to share the lands again but there was hardly food for everyone even before their arrival. As a result, the flyers started to fight with one another, only weakening all of our kind in return. Those were truly sickening and horrifying times." The old flyer said as he shook his head in clear disgust. However, it was at that point that Petrie finally interrupted the other flyer and asked carefully.

"P… Petrie never knew anything about that. Me just happy that happened a long time ago. B… but what this have to do with Olres and Petrie?" He asked, not really seeing the point of Brightrise's story just yet. To him, it sounded lie a bad dream that could never come to pass in the world he knew. The old flyer narrowed his eyes as he looked at Petrie, not really approving of the younger flyer's interruptions.

"That is something you'll hear soon enough if stay silent for a bit longer! Now where was I… Oh, yes. After the flyers had been driven from most of the world and most of us had fallen in different battles, we tried to take one final stand against the landwalkers. The battle went on for days but in the end, we were all scattered to the winds, only a handful of flyers living through that disaster. That one battle was the culmination of all our mistakes and in that moment, everything seemed lost… but that was also the moment when Olres' tale truly began.

He was but a young member of one of the remaining herds, not respected by even most of his own companions. Olres himself was terribly wounded in the battle but unlike so many of the other flyers, he retained one thing most of the others had thrown away so readily: the hope there could still be a future for the flyers. However, even his faith was broken momentarily by the enormous loss of life in the aftermath of that battle. Especially after he tried to rally the rest of his herd and after being expelled from it for good." Brightrise took a brief pause to catch his wheezing breath.

Petrie looked at him oddly, not really having expected the story to be such a dark one. It was rather surprising his uncle hadn't told him of this story as it seemed to be an important one for the ancient dinosaur. Petrie felt a sting deep inside him as he thought about everything that had happened in those distant days and he couldn't help but feel for Olres' struggles in that day. Petrie could relate to the feeling that the entire world he had loved was collapsing around him but in Olres' case, that reality was even more concrete than it was for him. He would have wanted to ask another question from the older dinosaur but decided against it as Brightrise seemed to really dislike any interruptions to his story.

"The last any of his friends saw of him was him heading back into the battlefield to search for the remains of his companions as he hoped to at least find some solace in seeing them one last time. However, this is where this tale becomes extremely weird. Three days and nights passed and most had thought Olres had most likely met his end, alone and forgotten. However, he returned soon and he was nearly beyond recognition. Not because of his appearance had changed but because he radiated courage and decisiveness." He said, causing Glide to again join the conversation. She knew all that Brightrise had already told but this was one point where she wanted some clarification if at all possible.

"Yes, I know all that but I've never really heard any explanation what happened that day." She merely said, looking at the male in clear interest. The latter looked at the girl with an unreadable expression but he didn't wait until he gave his answer.

"I've heard few know about that. However, I am more than willing to share what I know if you could just wait a little longer. I see your friend still wants to hear the ending to the tale." He said, seeing as Petrie nodded in interest. This really sounded like some of the stories he had heard in the Valley and he could already tell what was coming.

"Indeed, Olres sought out here his old herd and even if he had already been exiled, it seemed like nobody really seemed to care about it. That mighty flyer immediately showed he was the right leader to lead them in that ghastly situation. Even more astonishingly, he then united the last herds together and even after endless Cold Times of fighting, he managed to unite the flyers again into one herd again.

The landwalkers were already preparing to finish off the last of us but Olres rallied our kind together and in another massive battle, he managed to secure the flyers one last sanctuary. It is said that Olres himself stood his ground against a dozen threehorns, longnecks and many others, beating all of them. But most importantly, it was his inspiration that urged the others on and despite most of his companions having already resigned to the thought that the day of the flyers was over. But that isn't even the end to it all." He said as he looked at Petrie's excited expression. The boy couldn't help but admire this last kind that had saved so very much. A bit by bit, he was starting to understand just why Olres' name was that deeply revered by some many. Still, he didn't want to interrupt Brightrise as he really wanted to know what came after the miraculous victory.

"The landwalkers were completely outraged by their defeat and they wanted to immediately try to wipe us out again. Olres, however, could have tried to capitalize on his victory but he knew that the glory days of our kind could never again be restored. Too much had been lost already but Olres, unlike many others of leaders, knew that most of the other kinds were reasonable in their hearts and he then called to each of them to one, great meeting. It was on that day that Olres struck a deal with the landwalkers that they'd allow us, the flyers, to retain our mastery over the skies and the high places of the world if we simply wouldn't bother them ever again. We still had what we loved the most and ever since that day, our kind has been safe from those who would wish us harm. All thanks to that one flyer." Brightrise finished as he crossed his arms, looking towards the skies with a warm, faraway look. Petrie was completely silent for a moment, not really able to decide what to think. Most of the time, he had believed these tales because he had wanted to but this seemed different. Something deep within him seemed to whisper him that these events were more than one old flyer's banter. Petrie didn't even realize that he was panting slightly as he spoke.

"That really quite a story! B… but me still have so many questions! Why did the landwalkers act so bad? When did this happen and where? What happened to Olres that one night?" He asked, thoughts overflowing his mind. He was beyond astonished by what he had heard and he could already tell why exactly Olres was this deeply revered. Brightrise chuckled slightly as he looked at the young boy's genuine curiosity but he coughed deeply before he answered.

"Now, these are the questions that most wonder all their lives. What you just heard is one of the most complete versions of Olres' deeds anywhere even if I still know some herds somewhere still hold different pieces of knowledge. But I'd still guess that the landwalkers were envious of the flyers' glory in our old days and they merely wanted their piece of what their lives in this world could offer them. As for when this happened, it must be hundreds, thousands or even more Cold Times since those distant days, praise the Bright Circle." He said slowly, this conversation clearly starting to tire him slowly. However, he still was determined to finish his point before sending the younger flyers on their way.

"As for what happened to Olres, no one can say. But whatever it was, it was something no flyer can dream of. To think that he changed from a meek, weak flyer to what he'd become is an unthinkable change to most and I cannot even begin to imagine what caused it. However, what I do know is that something amazing must have taken place as after that night, everything Olres did turned into a success and he got the gift that his own deeds brought him all the luck he ever needed in his mission, And if I had to guess, I'm sure that change didn't happen by itself." He said with a strange smile, causing immediately a new question from Glide.

"What do you mean? What do you possibly mean that "it didn't happen by itself"?" She asked, frowning deeply at those words. This was exactly one thing that she had wanted to learn for a long time but she hadn't even heard this much before. Brightrise looked at her for a long time before he finally gave his answer.

"That is something Olres never revealed to any flyer during his entire life. It is a mystery many have wanted to find out during the seasons but none have succeeded. However, I am more than sure that whatever happened isn't something we can even hope to explain. But what I do know is that there was something in that place, some force we don't understand. And I see no reason why it wouldn't be there today. After all, this world is full of stories that are filled with the kind of wonders that should be impossible. I'm afraid that's all I can tell you, young ones." He said, a longing look lingering within his eyes.

Petrie, however, was left more than torn by those words. So, he had one old flyer's word that all of this had happened but it took him a short while before he finally realized what the old male's point really was. His voice was uncharastetically sarcastic as he answered to Brightrise.

"So, let Petrie get this straight. You say that all of this old story really happened and that this thing, that you don't even know anything of, might also help Petrie find me family and friends? That me would try to get to the bottom of this simply for me own problems?" He asked, not really realizing just how much he sounded with Cera as he spoke. Any of his old friends would have noticed the change within the once-naïve flyer but now, Petrie didn't want to embark on another adventure without knowing things would be all good afterwards. However, his thoughts were interrupted as he felt Glide hit his back with a quick blow and whisper to him angrily.

"Come on, Petrie, show some respect! Whatever you do, don't anger those wiser than us!" She said, surprised by the largely uncovered sarcasm that dipped from the boy's voice. However, Brightrise took a wide smile as he waved Glide to relax.

"It's alright, it's alright. As for you, Petrie was it, you may decide to listen to what I told you or you may not. However, I just ask you to remember that it would be a miracle if you found your lost family and friends by yourself, alive at least. Miracles can happen but I have learned in my life that there is no reason to leave things to chance if you can avoid it. Finding out Olres' secret will also be a struggle but I can see that you might just be up for it." He answered, leaving Petrie to look extremely conflicted. All the thoughts about Olres' fame and wisdom were lost on him completely and he would never chase anything in search of them and he voiced his doubts immediately. He took a deep breath before he answered.

"Petrie not want to be any flyer of legend! Me just want to be Petrie and find me family and friends again!" He said miserably, causing Glide's eyes to widen at this answer. The older flyer bowed at him and spoke briefly to the boy.

"Now, that is something many other flyers could learn from. Do what you want, Petrie. Just listen to what your heart has to say." He simply said as he rose to his wings, leaving the three flyers behind him. Petrie was about to speak again but before he managed to form one words, the older flyer was gone. He looked into the ground, thinking of everything he had heard. Silence reigned for a long time before Glide's slightly concerned voice alerted Petrie into the present again.

"Petrie… are you alright?" She asked, causing Petrie to twitch noticeably. He then looked at Glide and spoke in an absentminded voice.

"Oh… Petrie well enough. Me… me just need some time alone. See you later Glide and Brownbeak." He said before he headed into the skies, leaving a concerned and rather annoyed flyer behind him. Petrie didn't notice it just but there was also a third pair of eyes looking behind him keenly.

* * *

A slight cringe rose to Petrie's beak as he kicked a small rock with all his might. Not only was his physical fatigue starting to overwhelm him but Brightrise's words haunted his mind. Bit by bit, the memory of Pterano's endless trust in unexplainable powers rose to his mind and inside, he had come to terms that his uncle's actions back then were very close to the definition of foolishness. The Stone of Cold Fire had been a lie from the beginning so why would this be any different? Would such a place at the center of such a story really help him find his family and Littlefoot?

He had come to these mountains to search for any hints of them but only now did Petrie realize just how foolish his quest was. It had been wishful thinking his mother would come to this exact place and it was true, it wasn't worth it to ask each of the hundreds of flyers here whether they had seen a light-blue flyer with her children. Petrie knew she hadn't had any old friends outside the Valley so any sightings anyone here would have of her would be vague or extremely brief ones. But even then, he'd have to keep on trying, for their and his own sake.

A deep sigh of longing escaped the flyer's beak as he sat down on the nearby cliff, looking at the other flyers far below him. He had flown here for days only to see his journey face another major challenge. But even then, trying to rely on an age-old story would only be the confirmation to his despair and in many ways, Petrie had grown to loathe his former naivety. If he hadn't trusted anything he was told, he would have taken a stronger chance during his last journey with his friends and especially during his final conversation with his dear uncle. The old Petrie had wanted good but even then, his old trust had never yielded any positive outcome. In this way, the boy would have wanted nothing more than to wave Brightrise's words away as some kind of lie he tried to tell him for some reason.

Yet… another fact fought for its place within the boy's mind. He knew that Northwind and Kero had tried to find out some details about Olres' story in the Valley, most likely for Lenel. Of course, Lenel was told to be related to Olres so that might just explain his interest in that age-old story. Yet… even then, the light-colored flyer hardly seemed like someone who would waste time chasing some stories, even if they happened to some distant ancestor of his. Petrie shook his head, wondering whether Lenel knew something he didn't but even then, he wasn't ready to put much weight to whatever Lenel was planning.

With slow, forced movements, the boy rose back to his feet and started to walk around the small mountain path, feeling as his heart beat in his chest, longing for any ideas on how to move on from this moment where everything seemed to be falling upon him. There was a chance for him to reunite with those he cared about but what was the right, the most promising path to take? How could he possibly…

"Olres' story truly is one that seems to speak directly to most flyers. However, I know there are many other things in your mind as well." Petrie turned to look at the source of those words, frowning as he saw a rather young, short and weak-looking flyer land beside him. He seemed rather familiar to the boy but he couldn't quite tell when he had seen this particular dinosaur. His voice was wary, even hostile as he answered.

"Yes, Petrie has already enough in me mind and me have nothing to tell you at this point. Just leave Petrie be, whoever you are." He said, hoping the other male would simply take the hint and let him be. Just yet, he couldn't tell what was coming in this discussion but the next words caught his undivided attention.

"Of course I could but I'm still quite sure you're interested in hearing what happened to your uncle, now aren't you, Petrie?" He asked, knowing that Petrie wouldn't try to send him away anymore. Indeed, the boy looked at the other flyer with an increasingly annoyed look, not in the least sure why so many seemed to take interest in him on this day.

"Uncle Pterano died fighting beside Lenel in order to prevent any further fighting within the herd. That's all there is to it. He died doing what he thought was right but… but he still died." Petrie said as his face fell, hating to think what could have happened if only a few things had happened differently. He looked at the young male with sad eyes as he gave his answer.

"That he did. However, the tale Lenel and the others told you isn't quite true. If we are completely honest, that entire battle could have been avoided if Lenel could have just kept his lust for power in check. It wasn't Peak or Nira who betrayed Nimble's memory. It was Lenel." He said with a heavy voice, causing Petrie's face to take a highly suspicious look to it. He would have been lying if he had said he cared greatly at this point of the problems between the herd leaders even if he had a small idea what the other flyer was getting at.

"And what does that have to do with Petrie? Are you saying me uncle betrayed the herd?" He asked with a clear snort, not really liking the thought of where the other flyers was getting at. The older male was taken aback by Petrie's dismissal of those words completely but even then, it was likely that a virtual outsider wouldn't really care about such things. Even then, he didn't allow his momentary astonishment delay his answer.

"I am not. Your uncle was Lenel's deputy but he wasn't told the entire truth. I hate to tell it to you but your uncle was a pawn and really, he didn't even want to start the fight. But he didn't really have a choice: everyone else present joined Lenel's plan readily and your uncle would have paid a heavy price for disagreeing with Lenel like that." He said, allowing Petrie to think of his words for a moment. The boy looked at him oddly and it was many seconds before he finally spoke again. This time his voice wavered as he spoke.

"You… you mean uncle Pterano was forced to join the fight that didn't have to happen? B… but it was Peak's fault Nimble was killed! He… he had to be dealt with!" He asked in confusion, not willing to accept all of the implication of the other flyer's story quite yet. However, the older male's face didn't even twitch at the younger flyer's words.

"That's what Lenel want us to believe but the truth is, Peak and Nira thought that after Nimble's death, it was no longer profitable to stay in this herd as Nimble was the only one the three other flyers really listened. That should have been that but no, that was not acceptable to Lenel. He decided that it was only up to him to decide whether the other herds had the right to leave his or not. He launched the attack to destroy all of his competition and to bring all others under his thrall." He said slowly, clearly making sure none of his words were lost on Petrie. However, the boy wasn't exactly content with the answer and he put his hands on his hops as he answered. He wasn't about to listen some unknown flyer insult his uncle's memory, not after everything he had done for those around him.

"Tell Petrie one reason why me should believe anything you say! Me uncle say Lenel a good flyer and if you think me believe you rather than him, you are terribly mistaken! Pterano did what he thought was for the best and if he thought Lenel was the one who could leave you the best, Petrie must trust in him!" He cried, annoyed that he had to even argue about this. Inside, he was more than bitter towards the herd for robbing Pterano away from him but in the end, he had done all of it willingly. No matter how Petrie wished he could have made Pterano to give up the fight, all the boy had left was to believe he had sacrificed himself for a noble cause, a thought that this insufferable flyer was trying to prove wrong. However, the latter wasted no time giving his answer.

"Whether or not you believe me or not, that matters little. However, I will say that I, too, have long served a flyer who I trust fully and that flyer has seen all that I told with their own eyes! So in the end, you will learn the truth and I wish you did so sooner or later. Your uncle died fighting for a treacherous murderer and that is the whole, sad truth." He said, causing Petrie's mind to grow ever more agitated. The boy suddenly stepped forward and snapped at the older flyer with a voice that seethed with outrage.

"Go away and stop telling lies about uncle Pterano! He deserve better than this after everything that has happened!" He cried, looking at the older flyer with livid eyes. However, the other male was mostly just amused by the child's antics and he slowly bowed towards Petrie, speaking in a more silent voice.

"If you want more proof, I have one small detail about Olres' story you might be interested in. You see, Lenel sent Kero and Northwind into the Valley because he had heard that they might have some idea about the location of where Olres' near-rebirth happened. They found the answer and in turn, my leader knows it as well." He said with a slight smirk, turning Petrie's rage into confusion and hesitation. He still didn't know what to think and truth be told, he wasn't interested in asking this insufferable flyer to tell him anything. However, before he could really even think of it, he heard the obvious words slip from his beak.

"Then where was it? And if the Valley always knew of it, then why haven't they sought it out?" He asked, surprising even himself with the excitement within his voice. The dark-grey male bowed even closer to Petrie and lowered his voice even further, as if to make sure no one else could hear him even if there was no one else anywhere to be seen.

"Only few flyers know the full implications of what can be found in that land. It seems like the Valley sees it only as a legend and have no interest in finding out the truth. As for where it is located, it is somewhere far to our and east north, at least many weeks' flight away from here. That place is known as the Land of Dancing Streams these days." He said, causing Petrie to frown deeply as he heard those words. He had never heard of such a place and hearing those words, only one more question rose to his mind.

"Why you telling Petrie all this? Why do everyone want to tell Petrie these stories?" He asked, finally thinking of voicing his overall suspicion of the other male's motives. Petrie expected the other flyer to give some kind of vague answer that would only raise other questions but instead, the answer was a direct one even if it still worried Petrie somewhat. The older male smirked at the boy briefly as he prepared to take off.

"I and my leader only want as many as possible to see the error of Lenel's ways and possibly even thinking of one day standing up to his vile plans. That is all there is to it." He said as he jumped into the air but before he could even flap his wings for the first time, a loud voice pierced the air. It was a voice that was too familiar for Petrie by now. A call of alarm, most often used when one member of the herd was under attack. The young flyer's face fell as the next words escaped his beak.

"Oh no, not again! Can things ever go the way Petrie would want to?"

* * *

 **This chapter was quite heavy on conversations but I addressed many things here that needed to be shed light on. Again, Petrie finds the walls close on his previously planned way forward but Brightrise's tale and the anonymous flyer's appearance gave him even more to think about. But as the ending shows, there is still more events to come before Petrie will even get a chance to start searching for his family and Littlefoot. There will be one more chapter coming before my next short story and I hope you have a great time until then!**

 **TimeLordMaster108: It is great to hear you find my portrayal of Ruby's family well done as I like writing them myself. And truth be told, their role has turned out even better than I had initially expected and I'm quite happy about this plot as a whole. As for Ducky, yes, I expected many to rejoice about this development but indeed, Spike's whereabout are a mystery. It is likely Ducky will have answers but that will have to wait for the next time.**

 **Eris: Your idea was a really decent one so thank you for reminding me of this opportunity to bring Chomper back into this story, if only for a moment.**

 **The Rhombus: I'm afraid the pace of revelations didn't abate that much in this chapter either. In any case, Ruby indeed is in better spirits after Chomper's appearance and I'm glad you liked the way I portrayed her conversation with her siblings and friends. Of course, their decision is a ludicrous one from a practical point of view but at least they are in this mess together. That means much to all of the omnivores after what happened.**

 **And yes, Ducky's appearance alive breaks most of the barriers I had built during the last year and a half around the supposed demise of the rest of the Gang but I warn against making too many conclusions about her survival. The swimmer and the fastrunner indeed head for the new adventure but there is still so very much left unrevealed. But the next chapter will shed more light on those questions.**


	36. The Sailback Makes His Move

**The Sailback Makes His Move**

The sight of the small, pitiful form in front of her seemed to freeze Ruby completely. This… this simply couldn't be possible! Ducky had died a long time ago and there was no way she could be here, right in front of her! But yet, here she was, no matter how badly Ruby tried to convince herself otherwise. However, it wasn't long before she realized something that made her heart skip another beat. There was absolutely no reaction to her words from the swimmer. She lied still, her eyes closed tightly, as if she were sleeping. Ruby swallowed with a terrible fear in her heart as she ran towards her friend, praying with all her might that she wasn't too late.

She knelt beside the swimmer and immediately put her hand in front of her mouth, hoping to feel some, any breath that would confirm that the worst hadn't yet come to pass. A second after second passed and Ruby was already closing her eyes in resignation… until she suddenly felt a slight breath leaving the smaller dinosaur's mouth. Ruby immediately opened her eyes and also realized she could feel a small but constant heartbeat in her throat. After she noticed those small signs, she raised her old friend's head and spoke to her in a concerned and urgent voice.

"Ducky, can you hear me? If you can, please tell me so I can know whether you can hear me! Ducky, please!" She spoke pleadingly as Yarel and Arial stood behind her, deciding to allow their friend handle this situation as she saw fit. At first, the fastrunner gave no signs of realizing her friend's presence but Ruby wasn't going to give up after finding her dear friend after all this time.

"Just wake up! I know you're still alive! Just give me any sign!" She pleaded, knowing just how very easy it was to freeze to death but she had to keep her hopes up. She looked at the swimmer for a few more moments before she finally heard a few, confusing words escape her lips.

"B… but… I thought you couldn't go on anymore… Swiftsplash. Ducky was supposed to go on… all alone, yep, yep, yep." She said, not opening her eyes as she spoke. Ruby was more than confused by those words but they at least gave her some hope. She quickly turned at her friends and cried to them urgently.

"Yarel, help me keep her warm! Arial, go alert the others! They must know we aren't coming back to our last sleeping place anymore!" She cried as she moved to lie just next to her friend, looking as her companions did as they were told. Ducky was nearly squeezed between the omnivores but at least their bodies generated some warmth that could help her recover from her horrifying condition. It wasn't long before Yarel asked Ruby carefully.

"Ruby, is this one of your old friends you mentioned earlier?" He asked, not really knowing what to think. If it were up to him, he would have probably just eaten the tiny dinosaur but he could already see that it was out of question this time. Ruby glanced at the male sadly before she whispered back at him.

"She is. She is one of those who I spent those happy seasons in the Great Valley with. She is one of the best dinosaurs I've ever known and… I just wish she'll be alright! Ducky, please get better." She whispered at the swimmer, not really expecting an answer from the tiny, shuddering form. However, after a few seconds, she spoke again in a silent voice.

"It is funny… it is as if I can hear Ruby's voice. And if that is true… then maybe I will see Spike again soon enough! Maybe this is not so bad after all…" She said, making Ruby's eyes go wider than in a long, long time. She then looked at Ducky again and spoke in a louder, clearer voice than before.

"It is me, Ducky! I really am here and so are you! Please, look at me!" She asked as she suddenly saw the other girl start twitching slowly. It seemed that the two managed to give her the little warmth she needed to get over her near-freezing. This time, her voice was a little less stuttering as she answered to the fastrunner's words.

"Ruby? B… but you are d… dead…" She said as she opened her eyes slowly but the first sight that greeted her was one that made her jump back even in her weak condition. The sight of Yarel's face painted red by gore and blood was a sight no leaf eater would ever have wanted to see and his proximity to the swimmer only worsened the latter's reaction. Seeing her friend's fright, Ruby cast a quick glance at Yarel and spoke to Ducky again.

"It's alright, Ducky. Yarel is a friend even if… if he looks the way he looks." She said awkwardly even if she was more than overjoyed to see Ducky's reflexes working at least somewhat normally. The swimmer shuddered from both cold and horror as Yarel turned to look away from the swimmer and hiding his bloody face from the swimmer. Ducky looked at the male omnivore for a few seconds in horror before the other obvious thing returned to her mind. The voice she had heard earlier… Ruby's voice… was it really her? Slowly, she turned her head at the fastrunner and she spoke carefully, her sight still vague after her near-freezing.

"Ruby… it really is you! It really is! I'm so glad to see you're not dead after all, I am!" She exclaimed as she tried to walk closer to Ruby but her legs still not quite obey to her. Slowly, Ruby turned to towards Ducky and spoke to her, her own joy dipping from her every word.

"It's me, Ducky. I never thought we'd meet again but here we are! It's great to see you again." She said as she hugged the swimmer deeply, nearly choking back her tears at this reunion. First, she had had the chance to speak with Chomper and now, Ducky was here alive! The thought that even one of her friends had survived the carnage on that day so very long ago… that at least one would understand her completely… the fastrunner hoped this moment would never pass.

Ducky, on the other hand, still felt numbness lingering within every part of her body but that was slowly pushed away from her mind by the warmth that was radiating from this reunion. She had already resigned to the thought that her own journey had come to the end, alone and forgotten in this cold forest. Not only had she managed to avoid that fate but she suddenly found herself alongside one of her dearest friends. The swimmer's eyes were moist as she looked right at Ruby and asked her with a wavering voice.

"Thank you so very much for saving me, Ruby! B… but… who is that… uhh, fastrunner? And where were you all this time? Where did you disappear that day?" She asked, only now the implications of Ruby's absence returning to her mind. If the two had found each other earlier, so much sorrow and struggle could have been avoided. Ruby didn't answer immediately, instead willing to relish this moment for a while longer. However, she eventually disengaged from the embrace and looked Ducky in her eyes as she spoke.

"He's not a fastrunner, Ducky. His name is Yarel and he's a thinclaw… though, I'm not surprised you couldn't tell the difference. But before I tell what happened to me, please, tell me if you know anything about the others. Especially, where is Spike?" She asked, knowing that Ducky wouldn't leave her adopted brother behind without unquestionable evidence about… well, it didn't matter. However, Ruby's heart dropped immediately as she saw tears starting to swell within Ducky's eyes and her throat starting to choke in sorrow. Ducky looked at her in a devastated look and her tears started to drop into the ground even before she started to speak.

"S… Spiky's gone! I found him after the Sand Cloud and we continued together but…he didn't survive for long. Oh, poor, poor Spike…" She said, the pain only growing within the girl. Ruby frowned as she heard her own fears being realized but even then, she wasn't as devastated as she had expected as she had already accepted the passing of all her friends. She was saddened by the confirmation of this fact but she had already received more on this day than she had ever wanted to hope for. Still, she wanted to hear just what had happened but before that, she knew still owed Ducky her own news as well, even if she knew it would only hurt her more. Her voice was a weak one as she spoke to the swimmer.

"I'm so very sorry, Ducky. I, on the other hand, know only about Chomper. He… is no longer with us either." She said, deciding to leave telling of her last conversation with him for some later time. Ducky merely nodded as she heard those words, her sentiment echoing that of Ruby. Neither had she ever expected to find even Ruby but that didn't drown the final confirmation of another friend's death within Ducky. She spoke in a beaten voice as she finally managed to form her next words.

"Goodbye, Chomper. I will miss you forever, I will. This is horrible, Ruby! Why did the others have to die?! Why do we have to be the only ones who are still here? All of this is so very wrong, it is!" She suddenly cried, not willing to accept anything about her situation. There was no dinosaur apart from her who would wish that things would be well again, even if that one particular day still haunted her thoughts. Ruby suddenly knelt before Ducky and put her hands on her shoulders and spoke silently.

"Indeed it is. But we still have to move on. One special friend of ours told it to us himself. Now, I'd like to know what has happened to you since we last saw each other. I'm sure we have a lot of catching up to do, lots of catching up we have! I'll tell you my story afterwards." She spoke, frowning as she again noticed how very violently Ducky shuddered in the cold wind but she could do nothing more for her now. Ducky looked at the fastrunner with teary voice and she started to tremble even more as wiped away her tears and started to speak.

"Alright, Ruby. There's not anything else we can do, nope, nope. In any case, we did our best to stay together with Spike in the Sand Cloud and it was only through pure luck we manageded to lose the fastbiters. I am not quite sure why but… but they went after Littlefoot instead of us. I never saw him again and… and I fear they got him." He said with sad eyes, not willing to believe her own voice. Ruby nodded at her solemnly as she waited for continuation for the story. Yarel listened to the swimmer's words but decided to leave them talk in peace for a while longer. Ducky swallowed heavily before she continued to speak.

"Afterwards, we tried to search for you and the others but we couldn't find any of you. I think we found Chomper's footsteps but the Sand Cloud wiped them away before we could find him, it did. There was not much for us to afterwards but to search for the Valley… but that storm had also hidden any signs we had of the way home! We know the grownups would have been mad at us but I wanted to believe they would welcome us back… if we ever found our way back there." She said with a broken voice, At this point, Ruby interrupted her, just thinking of the situation Ducky had found herself in.

"I'm so sorry for it all, Ducky. I tried to also find you but it seems that place was far bigger than we thought. I never even tried to find the Valley, you know why, but at the very least I got help from… well, you'll hear about it soon." She said as she thought of Stealth, remembering that sickening hunt with him as clearly as yesterday. Ducky looked at the omnivore oddly but decided to refrain from asking about her words for now.

"I thought we could find our way back using the Bright Circle as our guide as we know where it rises and it falls but… before the Sand Cloud disappeared and the night ended, we were far from the spot we thought we really were, in other words, we were lost, we were." Ducky said sadly, taking deep breaths to calm down. After a few seconds, she continued to speak.

"But things got only worse from there. W… we always went the wrong way and we had no green food, no water, not anything… and of course, it hit Spike even more than it did me. Even on those days, he let me ride him… even if he was close to starving. Oh, Spike… but still, we found a few leaves here and there, just enough to keep us alive. At least until this cursed Cold Time fell upon us!" She cried as looked at the ground sparkles bitterly. This damned season had taken everything from her and she knew it would still take forever before the Warm Time returned again.

Ruby, on the other hand, looked at the swimmer in silence. Her story was one that made her even sadder than she had initially expected. Inside, Ruby cringed as she knew that she would have been able to find her way back into the Valley even that situation but regrettably, Ducky wasn't a fastrunner. Inside, she couldn't help but think just why sharpteeth always went after a swimmer instead of a fastrunner but still, she knew better than to voice her thoughts. For now, she could do nothing but to think of the nightmare the swimmer had just gone through.

"When the first of the ground sparkles fell, my brother was already weaker than he had ever been. He could hardly walk and the ground sparkles hid even the last green food from us. We tried to move forward and pray that we could find a way back into the Valley but I now know that we were only going further away from it. Those wereded the worst days I have ever seen and… and it wasn't long before it happened." Her voice fell as she prepared to tell about the darkest day in her entire life but she had to take a few moments to prepare mentally to relive it again. A never-ending pain and horror glimmered within the swimmer's eyes as her mind returned to that one particular evening…

 _Each step was the result of a herculean effort and Ducky knew this couldn't go on for much longer. Her eyes tried to see before herself through the falling darkness and falling sky stars but she could hardly see further than her own snout. However, that mattered little to the swimmer whose entire body seemed to be on the verge of giving up. Every part of her cried for food, for rest and for warmth. However, it wasn't her own pain that bothered her the most, it was that of her beloved brother._

 _Even in the darkness, Ducky could see that Spike was in far worse spirits than she were. He could hardly even raise his body from the ground, his moves resembling more like crouching than walking. Ducky lamented everything that was happening but it simply couldn't be helped anymore. She knew that finding any sheltered place was their only hope of surviving and there simply was no time for rest. And the swimmer was thus far rather content with the distance they were covering. That is, until Ducky finally heard a loud thud to his left. Her heart skipped a beat as she turned to look at him, only seeing his dark silhouette lying in the ground. The swimmer quickly ran towards him and cried to her in horror._

" _Spike! Are you alright? Please tell me you are alright!" She cried as she prayed for any reaction from the spiketail. It wasn't long before he opened his eyes and let out a weak grunt. Ducky's horror eased for a short moment but she still knew the situation. She walked in front of him and spoke softly._

" _Spike… I know it is hard but we still have to go a bit further today. We have to find shelter and green food!" She said desperately, seeing the look of despair and hunger within her brother's eyes. It was clear that he knew that her words were true but his strength was completely spent. Inside, Spike loved his sister without an end and he wanted to do as she told more than anything. He nodded at her and tried to force himself back to his feet… only to find they failed him immediately. He fell back into the ground, cringing as he realized that he simply couldn't stand anymore. Ducky's eyes widened in horror as he saw this and she spoke to him again in an even more pleading voice than before._

" _You have to get up! Night is coming and things will only get colder and scarier and…" She started to stutter in horror as she thought about the situation. She simply couldn't watch at her brother who was lying helplessly before her, his body unable to take another step. It was a ghastly sight for the girl and one that she had only seen in her worst sleep stories. Her breathing grew more tortured as Spike suddenly gave her a quick lick and a reassuring smile. However, that gesture hardly made Ducky feel any easier._

" _Please don't say that, Spike! We will reach the Valley again and on that day, we will probably find our friends again! I know they are waiting for us already, they are." She tried to force a smile to her face that seemed to make the spiketail more hopeful as well. However, that didn't last long and suddenly a massive shiver shot through Spike's body and he locked eyes with Ducky as he cringed from the cold, even if it no longer reached his consciousness as badly as before. Even Spike knew what that had to mean. Ducky ignored the frigid wind as she hugged Spike's face and started to speak slowly, tears starting to fall down her face._

" _You cannot leave me alone, you just cannot! Spike, I helped you hatch and we've been siblings all our lives! I need you still! Please, Spike, please, don't go!" She pleaded with inconsolable shudders as she felt herself practically collapse on top of her brother. Spike's sight was slowly starting to fade but he managed to give Ducky one last push, one last nuzzle which both of them hoped would last forever. Ducky looked at him with teary eyes as she tried to stutter some kind of answer._

" _Thank you so much Spike. It really matters a lot to me." She said but immediately after she finished, she felt a deep breath leave Spike's mouth, a breath that seemed to make his body relax completely. The swimmer stared at his eyes, hoping to see any movement within him but there was nothing to be seen. Ducky then dropped her head against Spike's and started to weep silently. Her brother and her dearest friend was gone forever, leaving her alone into this sickening gloom. His birth, the only time he had called her name and her reconciliation with him after his departure with the other spiketails… all of it slowly flashed before Ducky's eyes as the white shroud of the Cold Time slowly hid the scene under its soft embrace._

It wasn't untilDucky had finished her story that Ruby noticed the tears falling down her own cheeks. Not only had she heard how one of her friends had journeyed into the Great Beyond but to think that Ducky had truly been there, seeing her own adopted brother die before her eyes… it was just an unbearable thought for the fastrunner. She couldn't even begin to think what she'd do if she were forced to see either Orchid or Arial die without her being able to do anything to help them. Her voice was a sickened and shocked one as she spoke to the swimmer.

"I'm so very sorry, Ducky. I… I don't know what to say as anything I can say cannot explain what I think! A… at least you had time to say your goodbyes. I'm sure Spike was happy to have that final moment with you." She said, hoping that Ducky wouldn't be offended by her words for some reason. Ducky, however, looked at her sadly and nodded, thinking of the countless hours she had dwelled in her own sickening thoughts. She then took a deep breath as she answered to Ruby.

"I know that. But… it was just so very wrong. I never understood how Littlefoot just felt about his mommy but… now I think I do now. And it's a worse feeling than anything I could have imagined! Oh, poor, poor Spike…" She said as felt the ghosts of that day rise within her mind. Ruby shifted her weight between her legs, feeling more than uncomfortable as indeed, she had never been through such horrors herself. She cleared her throat as he tried to get over this situation and she asked Ducky carefully.

"B… but what happened then? How did you survive that night?" She asked, wondering for a moment whether she'd receive any kind of answer at all from the grief-stricken swimmer. Ducky slowly raised her gaze again but instead of looking at Ruby, she stared into the infinite distance as she spoke.

"I remained by Spike's side that whole night, praying she'd return to me somehow. I would have joined him if the next day hadn't been a much warmer one. If Spike had survived that one night… I do not want to think of it, I don't. The next day had already risen when I finally moved on even if I do not know what I was looking for anymore. Without Spike, everything seemed so very, very meaningless. But it got colder on the evening and I already thought I'd join Spike soon enough. I would have frozen also if… if I wouldn't have been found wandering all alone." The swimmer spoke, taking a deep breath as she spoke. She took only a short breather but Ruby still interrupted her with a quick question.

"Found by Swiftspash, perhaps?" She asked, cocking her head. Ducky blinked at her in surprise as she answered.

"Why, yes but… but how do you know him?" She asked, completely surprised by Ruby's words. The fastrunner nodded glumly as she answered, able to already guess where the rest of Ducky's story was going.

"You spoke his name when I tried to wake you up. And… and I have a feeling we already found him. He fell on a clearing not far to our right, didn't he?" The omnivore asked, causing Ducky to take a deep regretting look and a glum nod.

"He saved me and helped me forward when I thought everything was lost. He even found me food and shelter but as always, things went all wrong after that. Chomper's mommy and daddy were moving nearby and we had to leave his home because we could already see something had made them very, very mad. And after that, Swiftsplash got very sick… but he did get through it all. But his recovery took all his strength and we could no longer find any food and… and then it happened. He… he saved me and helped me and was good to me and I… I couldn't do anything for him. I could do nothing to help anyone!" Ducky cried as she thought about everything that had happened. Her life had been one, big horrifying sleep story after her departure from the Valley and in this moment, not even Ruby's presence seemed to her situation.

The fastrunner, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms as she looked at the crying swimmer. She couldn't help but feel bad for her as she thought about everything she had told. She could very well relate to her struggles and she would never have wished such a disaster on the usually so cheerful swimmer. However, the thought that it had been due to the appearance of Dein and Terri that Swiftsplash was gone now… just one more victim to the events she had launched so very long ago. She lowered her voice and looked at Ducky as she finally answered to her.

"Life has been so very unfair to you, Ducky. I cannot imagine how you felt when Spike and Swiftsplash passed away. None of this should have ever happened. But I and my companions have also been through so very much, Ducky, and none of it will be easy for me to tell. But I promised it to you and I always keep my promises so here it goes…"

Ruby told everything that had happened ever since their separation in the Sand Cloud, about her encounter with Stealth and the thinclaws as well as her eventual reunion with her family and everything that followed. The fastrunner could see Ducky's expression turn into that of shock and outrage when she told about what happened the last time she had met her parents. The swimmer's voice trembled as she spoke.

"H… how could they? Why would they ever do such a thing, Ruby! My mommy would never even think of killing me or my siblings!" She cried, even thinking about such a thing making her more than horrified. Ruby sighed as she crossed her eyes, her mind still more than shocked by what had happened but she had already had had the time to think about it. However, she knew she could never explain it in terms that a swimmer such as Ducky could understand it. These questions of payback and murders were things that she had heard only her kind and some sharpteeth go through and she knew already that even thinking about it was barbaric to a leafeater.

"I know, Ducky. I know. I don't like it myself but sometimes fastrunners can do such agreements if they think it helps their entire families even if it doesn't always help at all, like this time. I know you never thought such a thing was possible but among my kind, it is. But that doesn't help me forgive either my mommy or my daddy." She said, a look of bitterness lingering within her eyes. Ducky looked at her with a puzzled look and her voice more than sickened as she listened to the omnivore. To think she had met them and seen them not too different from her own mother, as loving parents who had missed Ruby greatly. However, Ducky's mind grew darker as she remembered how very much her friend had worried for her family's wellbeing after the Flying Rocks of Many Nights and this was how they repaid her concern? The thought made her all the more sickened as she answered

"No, I don't understand, Ruby. But I am happy you made it through that, I am! It must have been terr…" She started but before she got further, she heard a new voice interrupt the duo's conversation.

"Are you okay, Ruby? Is everything alright?" The young male voice called and a slight smile rose to Ruby's face. She quickly turned to look at Orchid and yelped to her in a happy voice.

"I certainly am, Orchid! More than alright as I found someone I had missed terribly! You may already remember her but say hello to Ducky!" She cried as she helped the swimmer to her feet, making sure that the wind wouldn't directly blow at her. The swimmer looked more than a little awkward as she looked at the omnivores around her, her trust towards them slightly diminished by Ruby's words about the traditions of their kind. However, she was still happy to have any company and she remembered Ruby's siblings more than well.

"Hello, Ruby's brother and sister! It has been a long time since we last met, yep, yep, yep!" She cried as Orchid and Arial approached her happily. Arial stopped right in front of her and spoke to her with a wide smile.

"Hey again, Ducky! Our last meeting was a short one but it's still nice to see you! Ruby has always spoken only good about you!" She said as Orchid also gave his greetings.

"That's right! It's great to see you again!" He cried as he looked at the swimmer, noticing how very cold she was. However, she hid her pain admirable but it was clear that she would be in great, great trouble even after this temporary salvation. Yarel nodded at Greentail, the girl giving him the permission to speak for both of them as her speech was still more than a little blurred.

"Greetings from us also, Ducky. I'm sorry that our first impression wasn't… the best but I'm still happy to meet you." He said, hoping his snout was a bit cleaner now. He had tried to clean it against the ground sparkles but it was still clearly redder than usual. Orchid had also done the same but Arial had helped him on the way. Ducky cringed as she looked at him but forced herself to hide her disgust as she looked at the thinclaws.

"H… hi! I hear you've been good friends to Ruby and Ruby's friends are also my friends! Your names were Yarel and Greentail, were they not?" She asked curiously even though Ruby had mentioned them in her tale. Greentail cleared her throat as she answered, not willing to be left out of these greetings completely.

"You are right. I…. I'm also pleased to meet you, Ducky. I just wish it were under better circumstances." She said, more than conscious about how she sounded like. Indeed, Ducky looked at her in clear concern as could hardly even understand her words. Ruby had told her of her injury but to see the once-healthy omnivore like this… it made the swimmer feel even worse than before. She sighed silently as she looked at the omnivore before speaking at her.

"So do I. I'm sorry for what happened to you, I am." She said with sad eyes, causing Greentail to frown slightly as she cursed inside, knowing just what the swimmer was thinking. She snorted before doing her best to keep her words as clear as possible even if she still failed miserably.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it and I don't need a swimmer's pity!" She snapped, causing both Ducky and Ruby look at her in shock. Ruby cleared her throat before deciding to cut this conversation short before the two would end in seriously bad terms.

"In any case, Ducky, we are trying to find the source of those strange lights that appeared almost a week ago. We want to believe there's something worth finding out there." She said, looking as Ducky's eyes widened at her words. It was clear that the swimmer knew what she was talking about and she soon spoke in a cheerful voice.

"Oh, you mean those things that looked like sky colors? We saw them too with Swiftsplash but we didn't think there was anything too interesting about them." She said, cringing internally as she thought that the real reason she and her companion had ignored them was the horrible situation they had been in. Ruby noticed her friend's hesitation but decided against asking for its cause. Instead, she answered as if she had noticed nothing odd in the smaller dinosaur's mood.

"Well… neither did we at first but I told you what happened at the Rise… and after that, we thought that there was nothing else for us to do, really. So, Ducky, are you willing to come with us even if I think you really don't have any other place to go, really. I can't take you to the Valley either as... I wouldn't be welcomed in there." She spoke sadly, regretting she couldn't help Ducky in that regard. She wouldn't have minded returning to her former home but she knew just what its denizens would do when they saw her.

Ducky was just about to defend her friend when she realized just what she meant. This time, no matter how much she would have wanted to believe so, there was no way the Valley could forgive Ruby's mistake. And without Spike and the others, did she even have a place to return to in the Great Valley? Certainly, she would want to hear if they knew of the others but… but without Spike, she had no urgent need to get there now and not that Ruby was here, she didn't want to leave her. Not that she was in a condition to do so even if she would have wanted to. Ducky knew she owed her life to the fastrunner after she had saved her from freezing here, lost and alone. After a short moment, she finally answered the omnivore.

"After I lost Spike, I never even thought of finding the Valley again. One day, I will want to see it again but for now, I am ready to go on another adventure with you Ruby, yep, yep, yep! And also with you others!" She exclaimed happily, causing cries of cheer to emanate from the younger children. Ruby nodded at the swimmer in deep approval as she answered to her, the girl's heart swelling from joy.

"Then let's get on the move! We still have a long way to go! Ducky, you may ride me until you feel a bit better!" She waved at her companions, not even wanting to think just how lucky she was to have been granted the chance to reunited with the swimmer. She could only hope her luck wouldn't fail her in the days to come.

* * *

"Pearl, look! I think we are slowly closing the distance between us and the children!" Detras exclaimed as he looked at the footsteps that were slowly growing clearer and easier to follow. He panted in exhaustion, the hours of running among the ground sparkles tiring even the most resourceful of fastrunners. However, his words didn't resonate all that well with Pearl as her tone clearly implicated.

"But they must still be nearly an hour before us! Yes, we are catching them but… but we cannot tell in what kind of danger they are right now! We have to try to quicken our pace before anything bad happens! You should be worried about their safety most of all, Detras." She said as she narrowed her eyes, causing Detras to take a step forward and taking a more confrontational stance.

"And I certainly am, dear. But I am not going to listen to your accusations all the time! Yes, this is my fault but it is also yours! And for now, they seem to be doing better than we had anticipated! And in order to refresh your memories, it wasn't I who nearly lost their mind when we didn't find the kids' footprints immediately near the Rise!" He said, not on the mood to listen to Pearl's whining right now. Inside, he knew he was merely trying to hide his own hurt about this hell but he wasn't willing to show it just yet. However, his words hardly made Pearl any less agitated and she shot back at him immediately.

"And for a good reason! The footprints were already nearly gone by the time we found them! A few more minutes and the children would have been gone for good! Are you really too dumb to realize that?" She asked with an enraged voice, finally causing Detras' face to fall completely. The male's bravado disappeared and his answer was barely a whisper.

"I know, dear. I… it's just that I miss them so very much. I only now realized how much it meant to see Ruby again and Orchid and Arial… I'd give anything just to see them again. I don't even know what I can tell them… except that I'm so very sorry." He said, looking at his mate with a beaten expression. Pearl's expression softened as well, fighting to keep her own emotions at bay.

"Neither do I. But you said we have to make sure they're safe. That's all that matters right now." She said, not able to ignore how very often it seemed like her and her mate's roles had changed lately. Each of them needed some encouragement from the other and each time, they had been there to encourage each other forward. She smiled slightly as she realized that fact, more than happy to share this journey with her beloved mate. Detras looked at her for a few seconds before he nodded at her, knowing she was right. He then calmed himself down with a deep breath and spoke to the female in a more normal voice for him.

"Right. It shouldn't be too long before we'll catch them anyway. Hopefully it'll be before the evening." He said, looking at the still-bright skies. Pearl looked at him approvingly and followed him into the thickening woods, both of them praying deeply that this journey would have a happy ending.

* * *

The swimmer's stomach felt sicker than it had in ages as she thought about the sight she had been forced to witness earlier. Or rather, she would have been if she hadn't decided to stay away from that monstrous scene. Ducky looked at Ruby in worry as she took a tighter grip of her neck feathers in order to avoid falling from her back. She had tried to tell the fastrunner and her friends to leave Swiftsplash's remains in peace but the omnivores simply wouldn't pay her pleads any heed.

Even Ruby wouldn't listen to her despite telling her how much the older swimmer had helped her in her time of need. They merely had seen him as a source of food rather than a kind, warmhearted dinosaur he had been. Inside, Ducky knew that food was scarce and that Ruby's kind was also able to eat meat… but to see Ruby so readily feast on her helper made her sad, worried and sick at the same time. This time the halfteeth had done their best to clean their snouts but the mere thought of what had transpired made horrified.

Minutes passed on slowly without any words between the six dinosaurs. Ducky didn't mind it, though, as she still tried to recover from her near-freezing. Every last part of her limbs hurt and ached in a way she had never felt before but something told her that it was a good sign after what had happened. The girl knew she would have not been able to walk forward alone and she was more than grateful to Ruby for allowing her to ride her, even if her back was far narrower and more swaying than Spike's had been. After a long while had passed, she asked carefully.

"So uhh… do any of you have any idea about where we are going? You mentioned the colors but do any of you have any idea what they really are?" She asked, willing to break the ice somewhat after the sickening scene earlier. Yarel wasn't completely happy with the swimmer after her earlier complaining but his voice was somewhat calm as he spoke.

"We've heard there have been sightings of them before but never before in these lands. And something seemed to be even more strange about them than the tales have told as they seemed to float above one distant land. Though, it is also weird we haven't seen them after that one day." He said with a slight frown, starting to really wonder if this journey had been a mistake after all. Orchid glanced at the swimmer and spoke to her while spreading his hands slowly.

"I'm sorry but that's all we know! But I'm sure we'll find something great!" He said in clear excitement. Ducky looked at him rather oddly and scratched the corner of her eye as she thought what to answer. She wasn't completely happy with the answer but that seemed to be the best she could get right now. Her voice was a rather low one as she answered.

"Let us hope so. It would be nice that something great happened after all that we've gone through! Though finding you, Ruby, was a good start!" Ducky added as an afterthought, remembering that she couldn't claim things to be just as bad as she had implied. Ruby quickly turned at her rider and giggled slightly as she answered.

"I know you meant that from the beginning as if you hadn't meant that, I would be really sad and you don't want me to get sad, now do you, Ducky?" She asked in mock shock, causing Ducky to laugh at her reaction as she tried to calm down as well as she could. She was just about to answer as Arial suddenly cried at her companions.

"What is that? Is… is that another cliff?" She asked, starting to run forward. Ruby looked at her sister's reaction in astonishment, immediately crying after her.

"Come back, Arial! We cannot know if it's safe out here!" She cried, her stressed mind almost expecting to see a sharptooth jump from behind any of the surrounding trees and swallow Arial whole but it wasn't long before Arial stopped and turned back at the older fastrunner and called to her happily.

"It's not dangerous, silly! All of you have to see this!" At this point, each of the five dinosaurs' curiosities rose immediately and almost subconsciously, Ruby's pace quickened somewhat. Ducky cringed as she felt her balance seating to get more uncomfortable by the second. Ruby nearly yelped in pain as the swimmer tore at her neck feathers but she decided against saying anything to her. All her attention was fixated on the sight that was ever so slowly opening before her.

At first, she saw some distant mountains starting to appear over the cliff Arial had mentioned. It was as if the forest was suddenly cut in half by some mighty force, giving way to a wide, slightly forested plain far below the overlooking plateau. Ruby swallowed as she looked below her, immediately taking a few steps back as she realized just how terrifying the drop was. Only afterwards did she look at the sight before her more closely.

At first, the sight seemed rather unremarkable as before her lied only more plains and wasteland as eye could see even if it seemed more fertile than the steppe surrounding the Rise. The ground sparkles glimmered everywhere and the wind that was no longer blocked by the trees made her shiver deeply. However, her entire attention was fixated to a spot, far, far away that could only barely be seen over the horizon. It was the edge of a land where two rivers seemed to be heading towards through the seemingly endless wastes. However, what really caught Ruby's eye was a circle of sky sire and falling water that seemed to surround that entire place. Her voice was filled with awe as she whispered silently.

"That seems like it could be our destination. At least it seems mysterious enough for me." She said with a slight smile. It would still take many days for her and her friends to reach it but at least it seemed like their destination could be in sight. However, Yarel's voice was far from convinced just yet.

"I'm not quite sure, Ruby. It is in the right direction but one storm doesn't mean anything. For all we know, our goal might be far, far further away." He said while putting his hands on hips as he glanced at the female. Ruby took a slightly more thoughtful look as she looked at him, thinking about his words.

"Well… you might be right. But as you said, it is at least in the right direction so in any case, we're going there." She said before she heard Ducky speak again. The swimmer looked at the sight closely, her voice slightly worried as she spoke.

"Hmm… that seems a lot like the Land of Mists with all that falling sky water! I just hope there are no bellydraggers out there!" She said, hoping that she'd never again have to meet their kind again as long as she lived. Ruby looked at her briefly, having heard of her friend's journey to look for the legendary Night Flower but she hadn't been with them back then so she couldn't say for sure what had happened back then.

"Well, at least I'm sure there can be nothing worse than what we've already gon…" She spoke before an alarmed call alerted her completely.

"Sharptooth! Into the ground, now!" Yarel cried and immediately the small group did as they were told, only Ruby making sure that Ducky wouldn't fall into the ground because of her. The six dinosaurs lied still for a few seconds before Orchid finally asked the other boy in an alarmed voice.

"Where? Where is it?" He asked in fear, dreading another encounter with those villains. Yarel slowly raised his hand from the ground and pointed to a spot in the plain behind them.

"There. It even has some fastbiters and halfteeth with it. This is really bad." He spoke, knowing just how dangerous these kinds of carnivores were, always trying to bring new dinosaurs under their thrall. At first, Ruby was about to double down on that alarmed reaction when she finally took a closer look at the predator. At first, she was about to cast him off as another power-hungry beast but after a moment, her eyes widened in surprise. A heavy burden dropped from her heart even if she knew she and her friends weren't out of the woods by a long shot.

"Hmm… That is not just any sharptooth, Yarel! That is Stealth!" She said briefly, causing the thinclaw to cast an odd look at her. Greentail turned to look at her direction as she asked the fastrunner.

"You know him? Why?" She asked in astonishment, knowing just how difficult it was to approach a sharptooth without becoming their meal, at least without making some kind of name for yourself that would reach the predator's ear first. Ruby gulped deeply as she looked at the sailback, looking as she seemed to actually be approaching her and her companions' position, wondering if he had actually received her call for help. If that were the case… Ruby tried to force the most optimistic thoughts from her mind as she prepared to answer the other girl's question.

"He surprised me soon after I got separated from Ducky and the others. He… he had the chance to kill me but he instead gave me a chance to help him on one hunt of his. As a reward, he offered me and my family an alliance with him." She said happily, already hoping that she could finally cast the threat of Chomper's parents away from her and her family's backs forever with the sailback's help. Arial frowned as she heard those words and she turned at Ruby with a bothered look.

"You mentioned it to mommy and daddy… but why would he want to help us? Chomper's parents are dangerous and Stealth could very well die while facing them!" She asked, her concerns immediately followed by a remark from Yarel.

"And besides, none of that makes any sense! I hope you won't take offense, Ruby, but a sharptooth simply doesn't offer alliance to a fastrunner our age! I mean, there's close to nothing we can do to help them! There must be something to his offer that you didn't notice!" He said with a confused face, causing Ruby to reconsider her first meeting with the sharptooth.

Now that Yarel had mentioned it, the initial hesitation she had felt with the sailback returned to her mind. Yes, all of it had been more than weird but on that day, she had simply wanted to take an help that would help her get over that nightmarish day. But indeed, why would Stealth want to ally with her or her family? It seemed he already had more than enough allies and it was also curious he had just allowed her to leave like that. In fact, she hadn't learned anything about the sharpteeth or his motives which should have raised her doubts right away. She had already asked for his help but now, her worries started to grow. Yet, there was too much to gain from joining Stealth that she was rather reluctant to simply pass that chance. Also, betraying her promise would earn her another enemy, something she simply wanted to avoid to the best of her ability. She waited for a few moments before she finally answered to Yarel's comment.

"You might really be right, Yarel. But I still think we should take a look at how he reacts to our presence. But we have to make sure we will see him before he sees us, just in case." The pink fastrunner said as she turned around, knowing it would be a long hike if she and her friends wanted to reach Stealth today. Her companions looked at the girl in clear worry but nobody found a reason to object to her proposition. They headed after her one by one, hoping this wouldn't turn out to be a mistake.

* * *

"It's getting too dark to even see the trees around us! I hate to say it but I fear we won't find the children before tomorrow." Pearl said as she felt another branch hit her head in the dark woods. Detras looked at her glumly, knowing full well that the loss of her eye did her no favors out here but he also had to admit that it was really becoming a chore for him to try to avoid falling due to hard water and the fallen branches. He cringed deeply before he looked at his mate.

"I have to agree, Pearl. I had already hoped we'd find them today but it is true that we could walk right past them and not even see a sign of them. We have no choice but to spend our night here, no matter how much I hate to do so." He said, looking suspiciously at the looming shadows everywhere around him. This was one of the most dangerous situations for a fastrunner, surrounded by complete darkness in a landscape he didn't know in the least. As far as he knew, there could be sharpteeth stalking him everywhere in this dark forest.

"So do I. This place really gives me creeps but we have to stay at an alert all the time and hope the kids are alright as well. And that they have a safer sleeping spot than we do." She said glumly as she sat down on a nearby stone. Detras did the same while looking to his right, seeing only a few silhouettes of the trees in the lifeless woods. This night was going to be colder than most he could remember but at least the wind seemed to be dying down. He sighed deeply and put a hand under his chin as he took a faraway gaze, his mind's eye looking at the years that were past him.

"Why did it have to turn into this nightmare? I would never have thought it all would end like this when I looked into Orchid and Arial's faces for the first time. Not after they seemed to start playing with each other before they had really even left their eggs. I'll never remember Ruby's surprise and joy as she saw her siblings enter the world that full of happiness and hope. More times than I can remember, I wondered if she managed to teach those two more than we ever could." He said deep in thought. He thought at the endless lessons he had given his children, from the mastery of their sniffers into trying to plan the best way forward in any kind of environment. Pearl looked at him in slight annoyance and she snapped at her mate slightly.

"Don't start blaming yourself again! You know we have taught them all they needed to be able to survive out here for this long! In fact, none of the other fastrunner children we've met knew half as much as Orchid, Arial and especially Ruby do!" She snapped at her mate who looked at the female glumly. His expression didn't twitch in the least as he answered her mate.

"Yet, we failed them in the lesson we needed to tell them the most. Our kind sometimes has to make hard decisions, yes, but we are not sharpteeth. We must not kill one of our own like this, especially not our own child! At least Ruby will show the little ones the compassion we completely threw aside. That's what matters right now. That someone will show them the way forward that we couldn't." He said, thinking of his own words. All was not lost yet and Detras knew, more than most, that a halfooth's life was a series of harsh lessons, ones that could easily save his or her life later on. And indeed, he was one that would never ignore one of those lessons when it was presented right in front of him. Pearl looked at him wearily as she brought her hand to her forehead and shook it slightly.

"As I said earlier, I will not forget that as long as I live. My eye will make sure of that. But if the children will find it in themselves to forgive their old mother, I'll gladly accept this injury." She said, wondering just how terrible she looked like. Detras looked at her sadly, the collapsed, white remains of the eye and the deep scar around it making him pity the female deeply. When he thought of the young, beautiful fastrunner he had met so very long ago and he couldn't help but regret this injury on her already-aging mate. Yet, he knew her more than well and if she could bear her punishment with pride, so could he carry his guilt.

"I certainly hope they will forgive you and I won't hide that it was all my idea. No more lies. No more hiding anything from the children, ever again." He said while looking at the ground sadly. Pearl looked at him in compassion as she spoke to him in a softer voice.

"Of course not, dear. They deserve much better. But whatever the children decide when we find them, I will make it clear that I only want them to be safe. I just dread what will happen if they demand us to leave forever. We just can't do that for their sake." She spoke, causing Detras to look into the darkness in clear worry. Ruby was almost old enough to survive alone but Orchid and Arial still needed guidance in their lives. But to force them to forgive their parents that had wronged them so very, very badly made the male cringe terribly.

"I just pray it won't come into that. But we still have to fulfill our dut… Did you hear that, Pearl?" He suddenly rose to his feet as he turned to look behind himself, staring into the darkness. The female walked to his side and whispered to him silently.

"What is it, dear? What did you hear?" She asked as she stepped besides her mate, ready to fight if need be. Detras, however, didn't answer, his entire attention concentrated at the dark woods before him. He could swear he had heard footsteps somewhere and right now, he cursed that the wind hid any smell from that direction. In this moment, the only thing he could do was to try to listen if he had heard wrong or if there was something threatening sneaking up upon him and his mate…

Seconds passed and the male slowly started to relax, almost ready to believe that he had heard wrong. However, it was on that exact moment that his worst fears were confirmed. A branch snapped in half not far from him, followed by urgent footsteps. And immediately, he could tell that the source of those footsteps was a dinosaur slightly larger than him… completely fitting to a fastbiter! He turned at his mate in horror and cried at her.

"Let's get out of here, now! They're coming!" He cried, immediately turning around in order to flee into the dark forest, hoping that the foremost gift of his kind would save him and his mate once again. He cursed at the ground sparkles for hindering their escape but in the end, he knew it hindered his chasers' advance as well. Pearl had also heard those sounds and she knew just as much as her mate the danger they were in.

If it had been difficult to see the trees while walking, now it was completely impossible. The two omnivores collided with trees once in a while but each time, they knew they had to move on. Slowly, they started to believe they were creating more and more distance between themselves and the sharpteeth but they were still far too close. But still, the two were starting to hope that they would make it through this… until two pairs of gleaming eyes suddenly appeared from the darkness, looking at them in utter malaise. Pearl stopped immediately upon seeing them, knowing that the situation had just taken a turn for the worse. She immediately cried at her mate as she headed to the left, hoping that it would offer the two a new chance of escaping this nightmare.

"Detras, follow me! There might still be a way to escape out here!" She yelled, trying to run just as fast as her legs could carry her. The male wasted no time doing as he was told, knowing that everything was on the line in this unexpected encounter. He was completely astonished by the fact that the sharpteeth had succeeded in creating this kind of ambush without either or his mate ever even suspecting anything was wrong. But who could blame them, after all there seldom were many packs of fastbiters stalking nearly lifeless forests in the middle of a Cold Time!

But even this brief hope of salvation turned into a dead end before long. Three new sharpteeth jumped from a nearby cliff right in front of the omnivores, blocking another escape route completely. The two again tried to turn around, only to see the other carnivores approaching them with their teeth revealed, clearly ready to end this chase once and for all. The fastrunners realized that they were completely surrounded, slowly retreating against the nearby wall of stone, knowing this was the end. However, Detras wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"Well, if you want us, then come and get us! I will not let any cursed fastbiters hurt my mate without giving my all!" He cried, inside knowing that any kind of resistance was futile in the end. He felt the horrifying realization creeping into his heart as he whispered to her beloved mate sadly.

"Well, it has been my joy and honor to spend this time with you, Pearl. We'll see each other again the Great Beyond." He whispered, knowing there was no escape. Every second, the sharpteeth drew closer and the circle around the omnivores was tightening quickly. Pearl quickly gave her mate a brief nuzzle as she spoke to him in a soft voice.

"We will, my love. I just hope the children were spared from this fate." She whispered, preparing to give her last breath fighting a losing battle. However, just as she was about to attack, the carnivores seemed to stop in their tracks, as if the weather had frozen them in place. The two halfteeth looked at the scene in confusion before they heard a louder thud after another drawing closer to them. The two turned to look at their direction fearfully, knowing that whatever was coming would hardly make their situation any better.

Soon enough, a larger shadow appeared from within the woods, his steps rather quick and urgent as he made his way towards that scene of horror and confusion. Detras looked in growing despair as the sharptooth, most likely a sailback, approached him and his mate and finally stopped right in front of them, slowly taking a look of approval and confidence.

"It is as my scouts reported. How nice it is to finally meet Dein and Terri's most loyal servants face to face." He said, revealing his teeth in a triumphant and threatening way as the omnivores looked at him in confusion. Pearl soon stepped forward and spoke carefully.

"W… what's your name and what do you want of us?" She asked carefully, something within the predator's gaze worrying her more than if he had merely been here to finish the two omnivores off. The sharptooth took an intrigued look as he answered.

"I'm surprised you don't know me as your daughter called me simply to save you from your former allies! In any case, I am Stealth and I have been more than interested in this meeting for a long, long time. Though, I'm afraid you won't share that sentiment for long, you murderous bastards!" He spoke, letting out a silent growl as the two omnivores started to shiver slightly under the sharptooth's gaze, dreading how this encounter would eventually end.

* * *

 **Stealth has finally made his return to this story but not in a way Ruby or anyone else would have wished for. With Spike's demise confirmed and her parents at the sharptooth's mercy, things have again taken a turn for the worse for the fastrunner and her companions. Now, it's time for me to do the February prompt so** **see you again when it'll be published!**

 **The Rhombus: It is true that Olres' legend will be extremely important in the coming chapters. And indeed, there are similarities between the ordeals of the two flyers but for now, I'll just let that story's true importance remain a secret. You also summed up the most important storylines of the moment together and I hope I'll continue to keep them as interesting as possible. About the pacing, I'm happy you found it satisfactory here as it's really one of those things that may be hard to get right far too often. Thanks for the review as always!**


	37. The Flyer Who Didn't Accept Defeat

**The Flyer Who Didn't Accept Defeat**

A slight shiver, which wasn't caused by the weather, run up the boy's spine as he looked at the distant light before himself, counting the seconds with fearful thoughts. He hated sitting out here while waiting for some, any news of the operation that was unfolding outside. Ortin couldn't help but let his face fall down as he thought about his life in the past week, hating everything that had happened since that cursed Lenel had attacked his family and stripped the boy himself not only of his old herd but also of his friends, forcing him into this fearful existence where the only thing that seemed to matter was Peak's endless yearning for revenge against those who had robbed him of his position as one of the leaders of the old herd.

A silent thud could be heard as Ortin sat down and crossed his arms over his knees, sighing deeply as he let his stressed mind wander. There they were, half of Peak's remaining heard, trying to shed blood without any good reason! Ortin knew that Peak wanted his vengeance against those who had harmed him and indeed, Ortin himself understood the stakes of this day. He felt bitterness seethe within his mind as well as he thought about his own enviable position he could have gained as a member of his family and he yearned for revenge as well but… he couldn't bring himself to accept the possible cost of all that.

Those feelings were quickly buried under the sights of all the bloody remains of the flyers who had fallen on that fateful night and that battle had also robbed him of what had brought him the most joy. He would have given nearly anything for a chance to meet Glide again but he couldn't sneak out on his own and after everything that had happened, the boy feared that their earlier friendship had died along with the ruin of his family. Ortin smiled slightly as he also remembered his meetings with Petrie even if he remembered very well on which kinds of terms the two had parted ways. He didn't regret his words in any way and as long as he was concerned, Petrie could stay out of his life for good!

Another sigh escaped his beak as he looked at his companions in the cave. Near him sat his grandmother whom he still respected very much as well as Peak himself who was slowly walking towards the opening, willing to see just how his followers were doing. His sight was slowly recovering but he still wasn't in a position to fight. Ortin looked at both of them tiredly, knowing this was all the company he'd have from now on, at least for now. He'd stand by Peak's side and hope for a better future under a new herd Peak could gather once he had settled the score with Lenel. He slowly turned at his grandmother and asked her silently.

"I… I hope the others are successful in getting rid of him. We cannot afford another bloodbath like… like last time, grandma." He said, hoping to hear any words of encouragement from the elderly female. The latter slowly looked at Ortin and gave him a brief smile as she answered.

"All they have to do is to send that bastard into the Great Beyond and call the rest of us to escape. Be at ease, Ortin, we'll make it through all of this." She spoke warmly, hoping to reassure the young buy as best as he could. Ortin gazed at her sadly before he spoke in a meek voice.

"I just hope we could live normally again. Everything badly after Lenel's attack and dad's death. Why can't things be like they were?" He asked glumly, thinking of the happiness that he had had until that one day which seemed to have panned so very long ago. His grandmother answered briefly as he looked at Peak who was clearly listening to what the two were talking about.

"Things will be much better soon enough, Ortin. I promise it. We'll gather a new herd with many more friends for you. You'll see." She said in a warm voice, causing a slight expression of hope appear to Ortin's beak. Still, there was one more thing that bothered him deeply, something he would have liked to have asked already.

"I guess so but… what if the others will fail? What if Lenel will get them… what will happen to us? Will we try to escape and live somewhere else?" He asked nervously, knowing full well that a victory on this day was far from guaranteed. He had expected to hear an answer from his grandmother but it was Peak who slowly turned to look at his two relatives with a decisive, even frightening expression.

"That, Ortin, is something we certainly are not going to do. This is Warekli's line's final stand where we simply cannot afford to lose. Either we will create a new future for ourselves or we will all fall here together. Is that clear?" He said in a voice that clearly brokered no disagreement. Ortin merely cringed at those words, not really surprised by them even if he would have wanted to hear something else. The boy stared at the older flyer for a few seconds before burying his head in his hands, thinking about the implications of Peak's words and what they truly meant for him.

* * *

"Are you sure that is the exact right course, Kero? You know we'll have little time for searching out there as things are already bad enough out here." Lenel said, speaking in an excited but still thoughtful voice. He had already went through this plan with his deputies when they had first informed him of their news but he still wanted to hear Northwind and Kero's tale again, making sure he'd be informed about every last detail about of the duo's tale. Kero nodded at his leader eagerly as he answered.

"They said Olres' secret lies at the western heartlands of the Land of Dancing Streams but that's all they could say of it. Otherwise, I'm sure even those dumb idiots would have found it a long time ago. It must still be somehow if it has remained a secret for this long." The younger male said before his companion continued from his words. Northwind was slightly more hesitant to go through all of this again but if that was the prize for his new position, then so be it.

"They seemed to know nothing about the land itself, though. And really, their version of his legend is even hazier than ours. I wouldn't put much weight to their words if I hadn't to as I doubt they'd even find their way out here without our guidance!" He said, frowning at his visit towards the Valley as it had been every bit as miserable as he had expected. Lenel locked eyes with the latter speaker for a while as he took a more pondering expression.

"Hmm… the Land of the Dancing Waters is indeed a vast, sparsely inhabited land so it really might house many secrets. I've heard it's a pitiful, glum land of endless forest and rivers but I've never seen it myself. I wonder how that description relates to the colors, though." He said, narrowing his eyes slightly. Northwind blinked briefly as he let out a single word.

"Colors?" He said briefly and his answer was followed by a longer pause from Lenel. It was clear he was rather uncomfortable as he gave his next answer but after a short while, he finally spoke again.

"That is one detail only our line really knows. It is said that every once in a while, that very place casts mighty lights to the sky, as if to call Olres back to it in vain. I have really wondered about it but that northern wasteland might have hidden the secret for a long while. It must be in some very remote place, though, if it has remained a secret for this long." He said, causing the two other flyers to exchange glances briefly. This was completely new to both of them but they knew better than to question their leader's words. Kero cocked his head slightly before he spoke again to the slightly older male.

"In any case, our search was a success, Lenel. Surely you remember what we agreed before our departure?" The light-green colored flyer said rather warily, hoping he wasn't pushing his issue too fast. Lenel had always been a fair leader to him but he still worried slightly about his answer. The light-colored flyer looked at Kero with weary eyes for a few moments before he finally spoke in a casual voice.

"Indeed I do. Kero, Northwind, I name both of you as my trusted deputies as long as you live. Thank you for your service, both of you." He said, taking a firmer expression as he looked at the duo approvingly. The two younger flyers smiled widely at this confirmation of their new status, more than glad Lenel was a flyer worthy of his word. The two could only say one thing that first rose to their minds.

"You have our thanks, Lenel! We won't fail your trust!" They said, causing their leader to merely nod to his new deputies briefly. He knew this was an important occasion for the duo but even then, his thoughts were already wandering in completely different issues. His next words sounded more like he was thinking out loud even if he was still looking at the two other flyers.

"I truly hope so. Your first opportunity to prove your worth is when we'll head to the Land of Dancing Waters and finally find what I've looked my entire life! We cannot take everyone with us but I will need at least a few dozen strongest members of the herd to accompany me. We have to act quickly in order to minimize the chance that anyone would want to betray me while I'm gone. Northwind, you'll come with me. Kero, I name you leader of my herd until I'll be back. Is that clear?" He asked especially the last flyer whose eyes widened in surprise. On one hand, he was more than happy he had been trusted with a task like this but… he would have always wanted to see the scene of the most beloved of legends. Still, he knew trying to oppose Lenel's order was hardly the best way to move forward and he merely nodded to his leader.

"It is. You can be sure that no villain will be able to rise against you!" He said, causing Lenel to turn away contently. He then looked at Northwind and crossed his arms.

"I'll expect nothing less. As for you, Northwind, we'll start gathering flyers to follow us today. We'll be on our way soon en…" He started before he heard the alarmed screech that rang through the entire Streli's Hills. Immediately, the male felt his heart drop in his chest as he would know that voice everywhere. He wasted no time rising to his wings to aid his beloved mate before anything would happen to her.

* * *

It all had happened too quickly for Sireia to even properly raise a finger to try defend herself. She had merely been enjoying this brief respite from the seemingly never-ending flying, willing to giver herself even a tiny breather from her duties in intrigue and planning with her mate. She enjoyed helping the male in any ways she could, even liking those responsibilities, but she wanted to see this day as a small chance to recover her strength. That was, until the five flyers had suddenly appeared from the heights above her, their shadows revealing their attack only seconds before they could sink their claws into Sireia's throat.

Letting out her call for help was the only thing she could do before she felt the impact of the flyers hitting her with all their might and doing everything they could in order to take her out as quickly as possible. Sireia cried out in pain as she felt the attackers tear into her but as she tried to get to her feet in order to have a better chance to defend herself, the female's eyes widened as she realized she knew these assassins.

All of them had been Peak's close allies and friends as long as she could remember even if she had actually never spoke to them herself. She also saw a look of surprise and disappointment in their eyes and it was those two things that told Sireia exactly what was going on. They were here to get her mate but they found only her but at the very least they'd get part of their revenge on Lenel by killing her. The female counted seconds while she tried to keep the attackers at bay, knowing she didn't have long before Peak's pawns would finally tear her to pieces.

* * *

Lenel cursed internally, trying to concentrate her anger and self-loathing into something as he flew as quickly as he simply could towards his and his mate's sleeping place, hoping against hope Sireia would be alright. He knew full well she was a capable and strong flyer on her own right but there were many flyers who bore ill will towards the duo and the light-colored flyer wondered which one of them he'd meet soon enough. Deron? Peak? Perhaps Haste if she truly was the villain he thought her to be? All of those thoughts were cast away as the sight of the fight reached his eyes.

So, Peak it was then. Lenel recognized the attackers immediately and truth be told, he wasn't surprised in the least. It would have been very unlike that old moron to simply accept his defeat and try to live the rest of his life in peace. Well, after this outrage he would never allow that old bastard escape alive as he had just breached a red line the male had held sacred for decades now. Nobody would hurt his beloved mate and get away with it! Inside, Lenel knew he could be heading into an ambush but that mattered little. He wouldn't let Sireia to suffer any more than she already had, that was certain. He quickly called to Northwind who was flying not far behind him.

"Hit those bastards on the left and I'll take those on the right! Make sure you won't fail, Northwind!" He cried, looking at his new deputy briefly. Northwind glanced at his leader in affirmation as he did as told. He knew just how much Sireia meant to Lenel and really, he couldn't deny his own respect at the female. She had proven herself time and time again and she had already been kind towards his past propositions in the herd.

The last seconds before the impact seemed to proceed in severe slow-motion for Lenel as he looked at his mate's pained expression but it served only to heighten his resolve to kill those who had caused her this much harm. One of the attackers slowly turned to look at Lenel briefly before the impact but the latter's speed and determination gave him the clear advantage. It didn't take long before Lenel pulled him to the ground and with both his hands, crushed the other flyer's throat into nothing. He quickly turned at Sireia and called to her in concern.

"Now, you have an opening, dear! Follow m…" He started but before he could finish, the female cried to her mate with an even more fearful voice.

"Look out, Lenel! Defend yourself!" She cried and the male wasted no time doing as told, no matter it pained him. He gasped deeply as he saw his fears being realized as five more flyers suddenly landed behind him, immediately moving to close on him and his two companions. Even more, he heard Kero's voice far in the distance.

"Gather everyone somewhere safe! We're under attack!"

* * *

Those words caused Petrie to frown deeply as he thought about what to do from now on. He had listened to the sounds of the initial skirmish with glassed eyes, wondering what to think or do from now on. On one hand, he had received what he had to receive from his old herd and truth be told, a certain instinct told him to simply flee and save himself from any more dangers. He had seen more than enough death within this herd and he had very little will to see what would happen from now on. His eyes had a look of sadness but relative calm as he looked at the small skirmishes that were being born far below him. However, he knew he couldn't leave just yet.

On his own, he had very little hope of ever finding any trace of the land he had heard so very much on this day and even worse, aside from that one bit of knowledge, he had absolutely no idea about how to find his family or Littlefoot, a thought that made his mood fall even further. The mysterious flyer, who had apparently left the scene while the boy's attention was focused on the new developments, had sparked Petrie's interest in the tale even further and the legend's location, this Land of Dancing Waters, glimmered within the flyer's imagination brightly. And even more, he wanted to make sure Glide was safe from these new attackers before he could leave with pure conscience.

He took a brief breath as he jumped over the edge of the cliff into the air, looking at which places the fighting seemed to be spreading the fastest. There seemed to be no more than a dozen or two attackers but they had seemingly coordinated their attacks nearly masterfully. It seemed like they were searching for certain flyers even if they were clearly ready to tear anyone down who was trying to hold them back. Petrie cringed as he thought about the horrors of the world of his kind, never expecting them to act like this during his years in the Valley. Inside, he knew he loved so many things about being a flyer but these herd politics were something that truly made him sick.

Despite the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind, Petrie tried to investigate the ground below him in the hopes of seeing even a sign of Glide or Brownbeak, hoping that the mess around him would prevent anyone from noticing his unwanted presence within the herd. However, no matter how much he tried, the boy didn't even see a glimpse of his friend, a fact that made him frown severely. Certainly she had to be here somewhere! The boy landed on a rather large plateau between two high mountains to calm down while thinking about where the girl could be. A look of worry and fear started to rise to his face before he heard a somewhat pained voice behind him, one that he hadn't expected, even less wanted, to hear.

"If it isn't the crazy killer himself. Did you come to finish the job, Petrie?" The boy's eyes widened sharply as he heard the voice, shivers starting to creep up his spine. He felt his hands turn into fists and his voice starting to tremble as he slowly turned around to look at Hoist's face. Petrie nearly gasped as he looked at the still-lingering wounds between the other male's eyes and all the scratches around his body. He was beyond horrified this had been his undoing but the words he had said about uncle Pterano still haunted his thoughts. The shorter flyer crossed his arms and asked even angrily.

"What is it, Hoist? Me gladly do it all again if you learn nothing of the first time. Now, tell me where Glide be or get lost!" There was not a sign of remorse within Petrie's voice, a fact Hoist noticed very well. However, this time there was a clear change within the bully's eyes, one that Petrie noticed at least unconsciously. He expected Hoist to start spewing his poison again but instead, he took a slight smirk as he started to speak. There was not a trace of fear towards the flyer who nearly killed him, something that seemed more than curious to Petrie.

"Truth be told, you are not the flyer who I thought you to be. No one before came even close to doing to me the things you did. And that is something I won't forget easily." Hoist said dryly, causing Petrie to frown deeply at him. The younger boy had absolutely no idea where his former enemy was getting to but his expression betrayed his deep confusion. However, the brown flyer wasn't easily going to forget his past meetings with Hoist and unlike the old Petrie, now he simply wasn't going to trust anyone who said something possibly nice to him.

"Are you simply trying to mock Petrie as before? No more games, just tell what you want!" He said, causing the bruised male's expression to soften ever so slightly as he started to walk towards Petrie, nearly causing the latter to move away from Hoist but something deep within him told him to stand his ground to the very end when it came to Hoist. He looked at the older boy with an expression that radiated determination but lacked any trace of fear. Hoist snorted audibly before he started to speak to the dinosaur whom he had harmed so very much in the past.

"I simply want you to know that you are much more stubborn and persistent than most of the dimwits within this herd. I am not going to forgive you for what you did to me but I cannot help but respect that someone stood up to a somewhat righteous cause for once instead of simply begging for mercy from me or simply escaping. That is something that I realized in the days after our little incident." He said, causing Petrie's confusion to only deepen. Was Hoist actually apologizing to him? Was he acknowledging him in some weird, twisted way? Petrie cocked his head as he answered to Hoist with a slight stutter.

"Are… are you saying that… you were wrong?" He asked, not knowing how to react to those words. His gaze darkened as Hoist spat into the ground before Petrie and turned his back to the younger boy.

"That is something I will not admit to a weakling like you. However, I will say that you were not wrong either. But Petrie, do not understand any of this wrong. I would never, ever be your friend but as a sign of respect, I will leave you in peace from now on and even treat you as an equal." He said, causing Petrie's mood to rise tremendously and he simply couldn't help but let out a laugh at Hoist's words. They simply sounded too comic for him in a time like this.

"Come on, Hoist! Why you trying to sound like a grown-up? You can speak normally to Petrie!" He said, Hoist's earlier insults towards Pterano out of his mind for now. Inside, even Hoist smiled slightly at that remark, not having expected to ever have this discussion with the one who had nearly killed him. But inside, he respected raw power and determination more than anything and that was something Petrie clearly didn't lack. Hoist gave Petrie a brief encouraging look to Petrie before he prepared to head off to safety, still too weak to fly.

"Don't try your luck, Petrie. I…"

"Hey, you two! We have away from the fight! Now, foll… uhh, Petrie? Hoist? What are you doing here?" Petrie turned to look at the speaker and noticed it to be Glide. The girl was seemingly confused by the sight of the two as they weren't seemingly ready to tear each other apart. That fact was remarkable in itself as the two males' last meeting had been anything but friendly or even neutral. Petrie looked at the girl with relieved eyes as she landed beside him.

"It's alright. Me kinda forgive Hoist after a talk we had. He…" Petrie started but before he could finish, Hoist cut him short dryly.

"As for you, Glide, you can get eaten by a sharptooth for all I care! Try not to get drawn into the fight too badly!" He said as he slowly walked away, clearly in still-lingering pain. Glide immediately crossed her arms and looked after the boy in clear annoyance. She nearly spat the words to Petrie as she finally broke the silence.

"What an utter idiot! Why in earth would you even want to talk to him after what he said to you?" She said as she turned at Petrie who cringed under the girl's gaze. He took a brief sigh as he gave the only answer he could think of right now. He had far too much in his mind to be willing to talk about Hoist.

"Nothing important, really. B… but Glide, do you know what's happening out here? Who are the attackers?" He asked, able to hear the cries but luckily, the two children were far away from the main scene of the skirmishes. Glide was far from content with the other flyer's answer but she saw no real value in trying to keep pushing him for another answer. Her expression relaxed and she lowered her voice as she answered to her friend.

"They are Peak's former allies and friends who are here most likely to try to challenge Lenel again. But Petrie, follow me, we have to get to safety!" She said but to her puzzlement, Petrie didn't twitch a finger to do as he was told. He looked at the girl oddly and spoke to her silently.

"Me cannot. The others won't want to see Petrie again even if Hoist…. no longer hates me. And beside, me not part of this herd anymore so me have no place among you. And this place seems safe enough for me. Besides, me have another thing Petrie want to ask you." He said, causing Glide's expression turn into a highly hesitant one immediately. She wanted to get away from ere but she wasn't certain what to say.

"But Petrie, this is not the right t…."

"This exactly the right time! One other flyer told me Olres' secret be in the Land of the Dancing Waters! Have you heard of it?" He asked with wide eyes, really interested in what kind of answer he'd receive. However, Glide's face fell suddenly as she heard those words, seemingly not approving of them in the least.

"Petrie, you cannot honestly say you're trying to chase that tale! It is just something told to entertain young hatchlings!" She said, not believing in those words herself. She knew just how much it meant to many of her kind but she was hardly happy to hear her friend actually believe it enough to be ready to actually start to chase it. However, the boy wasn't about to go give up just yet.

"That not how uncle Pterano, Lenel and many others see it! Glide, me do anything to find me friends and family. Me just wish you help me and not someone else!" He said, realizing just that his words sounded even friendlier than he had meant but anyway, they carried his message well enough. Glide looked in the male's eyes for a few seconds, trying to think about how she should respond. But as she looked at the boy, she realized she couldn't turn down his request. She took a deep breath and brought her right hand to touch the bottom of her beak.

"Oh, alright. Land of the Dancing Waters, you said? Now, wait for a moment, it sounds familiar… Where did I hear of it… That's right!" She suddenly yelped to Petrie's encouragement. It was clear Glide was more than distressed by the battle and the fate of his family but for now, she was happy that she could focus her thoughts into something else. Petrie looked at her oddly and his voice was an eager one as he answered.

"Well, then tell Petrie! Me all ears!" He said but to his puzzlement, he saw a slight cringe rise to Glide's face. She looked even a bit sad as she prepared to answer the younger flyer's question. The latter couldn't come up with any reason for her reaction but his curiosity was quickly sated as Glide started to speak.

"Petrie… only one flyer has ever spoke of it to me. You see… Ortin told me it was close to the land where he and his family used to dwell before they joined with our herd. He should know much more about where that place than any other here. It's just a shame he had to leave…" Glide said, the obvious linkage still somehow evading her mind. However, it wasn't for Petrie who gulped slightly as he spoke.

"But he left with Peak and if Peak here…" He simply started, causing Glide's eyes to widen greatly as she turned to look towards the scene of the battle.

* * *

A grim look rose to Lenel's face as he kicked the last of his enemies into the ground, her life already having been extinguished earlier. The male spat at the corpse in disgust as he turned to look at her mate with a fearful look, completely ignoring his own wounds which were by no means meaningless. He knelt besides Sireia and looked at her wounds with a sickened look. He had seen more than his share of bloodbath during his seasons but to see his beloved mate like this… it made even the cold-blooded leader cringe deeply.

"Are you alright, dear? They nearly got you." He said as he saw Sireia cough a few loads of blood from her injured throat but she immediately took a more confident look as she spoke to her mate. She was hurting everywhere but she was also a seasoned fighter and she had been in worse situations before.

"I'd be damned… if cowards like these were able to take me down. You know that as well as I do, Lenel." She said as she slowly tried to get to her feet, the male knowing better than to try to prevent the female. However, it wasn't long before the inevitable happened and Sireia cursed deeply as she fell back to her knees, cringing in pain. Lenel prevented her from hurting herself any more as she slowly moved into a sitting position. Lenel's voice was a soothing one as he spoke.

"It's alright, Sireia. You did more than enough already. Let me finish the fight." He said, not really prepared to argue about this particular issue. Sireia knew also that she couldn't continue in this condition so she spoke the only words she could to help her mate in the minutes to come.

"Very well, my love. But I'm sure they were really after you all along. I… just happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. But about those other bastards, I don't know what they want. Be careful, Lenel." She said, nearly crying out in pain as she slightly changed her position. Lenel was more than hesitant to leave her here but he still had the rest of his herd to protect. He quickly turned at Northwind who was standing beside him and snapped to him with a voice that was as alarmed as it was decisive.

"Look after her but if she'll get even more injury than she already has, your promotion will prove to be a short one indeed. As short as the rest of your life, actually." He gave a threatening look to the other male as he took off, looking at the scene below himself with fearful eyes. There were five smaller fights here and there with the rest of the flyers quickly fleeing the surprising tide of violence. However, one of them caught most of his attention. The one involving two of his deputies and one certain flyer he hadn't wanted to see again was one that made him more than furious and he wasted no time diving towards the ground in order to prevent any more casualties.

* * *

"Taria, look out!" Kero cried as he saw another flyer trying to attack the female. He cursed deeply the situation he and Taria were in, surrounded by a host of bloodthirsty attackers along with four of Lenel's other followers. He was prepared to take this stand until the very end but the sight of one flyer made him shiver. He had heard Lenel had managed to beat him somehow but Bluegust, Peak's brother, was still a flyer that anyone who had heard of him feared and respected without an end. His sight alone made Kero's morale fall but hearing his voice made him cringe even more.

"Surrender now and I'll make it quick! It's more than any of you Lenel's pawns would deserve!" He bellowed as he hit one of his foes, taking him out with one, mighty blow. He glanced at Taria nervously, clearly seeing that she was losing her own battle. There was no way he and his companions could prevail today but on the other hand, Lenel had just said he'd be in charge of the herd while he was gone. How in earth could he ever be worthy of such a responsibility if he didn't give his all in order to prevail against these murderous traitors? He looked at Bluegust in annoyance as he answered.

"Not as long as I draw breath, Bluegust! We know very well everything about your brother and how he was ready to tear us apart because of his pride! You have shamed the name of your family for good and by Olres' glory, we will make sure you won't be able to harm others ever again!" He cried as he headed towards the towering male who mostly smirked at him in mockery. He quickly gave a call to his allies who wasted no time surrounding the new deputy while beating him mercilessly.

The male gritted his teeth as he looked around himself, relieved that his back was secured by two of his allies but even then, he couldn't stand his ground for long. Sooner or later, he would be cut down if he didn't receive any reinforcements, a prospect that made him nearly drop his guard. However, it didn't take long until he again remembered to check the location of the true enemy and that hardly made him breath any easier.

Bluegust wasted no time moving against Taria who was being forced into ever more desperate situation. She frowned deeply as she saw another flyer fall near her by the enemy's claws and she saw clearly that Kero would not be able to help her out of this situation. She tried to search for any redeeming quality of this nightmare but no matter how she looked, she could only see more enemies around her who were clearly thirsting for her blood. Even worse, she could see Bluegust approaching her far quicker than she would have wanted. She fought off another attacker before she turned towards the massive male and growled at him deeply.

"You will pay for this along with your pitiful brother, Bluegust! I promise to you that you will regret your "victory" before the end!" She cried before she heard a disgusted snort from the other flyer. He cast aside all of his allies as he walked towards the female with narrowed eyes. She was already covered in her own blood and it was clear to everyone that she would never be able to save herself from this situation.

She couldn't help but feel panic start growing inside herself as she looked at the larger dinosaur's eyes that didn't have even a hint of mercy or understanding within them. She started to slowly realize this was the end of the road for her and all the days of service started to flow before her eyes. She had served Lenel nearly as long as she could remember and if this really was how it all was going to end, so be it. She didn't really question whether it was all worth it as it simply had to be. It was all she had, one thought that made her suddenly sick as she stared at her soon-to-be killer in the eyes. Bluegust crossed his arms as he gave his answer to the female who knew what was coming.

"I possibly will but I'm certain you'll regret your deeds far sooner than I will, you treacherous moron. Say greetings for that other failure of a deputy for ol' good Bluegust and my brother!" He said as he hit the female into the ground with one quick move and pinned her down before she could recover. Taria did her best to struggle back to her feet but the more powerful male ensured she had nothing to do but continue her pitiful twitching. Time and time again, Bluegust hit the other flyer's head into the rocky ground, feeling as her movements grew weaker and weaker. Not even a muscle twitched in his face as he followed the sickening sight of the contents of the female's head starting to flow into the ground.

Those horrible seconds started to quickly grow dark within Taria's mind but thankfully for her, the pain started to subside relatively early. That scene seemed far worse to everyone else but to Taria herself whose spirit started to quickly depart her body. Her last sensations were that of melancholy for devoting her life to that one, single cause but it was also mixed with pride for standing up to what she knew was right in this world. For helping the last descendant of the greatest of all flyers fulfill his destiny. And for that service, she was happy as he drew her last breath.

* * *

Kero looked at the sight in horror and disgust, his heart freezing as he saw his fellow deputy's limbs twitch for one, last time. He had respected, even liked the female for as long as he could remember and to see her die like this… it simply wasn't right. But even worse, he saw her killer slowly turn towards him, asking him in a cold voice.

"Now, are you ready to pay the price for what you did to us? I will kill each and every one of you responsible for what happened to our herd!"

* * *

The flyer's eyes widened as he looked at the end of one of his deputies. Lenel had seen many abominable acts during his life but this was one of the worst. To see Bluegust use his immense power to practically crush Taria's skull… the light-colored flyer felt nausea and rage rise within him simultaneously as he saw the male turn towards Kero with his nearly insane eyes. He cursed himself for being unable to save the loyal, long-serving female but he had simply been too far to reach her in time. But that didn't make him feel any better.

Inside, he could see just how clear the similarities between were between this incident and Pterano's end. In both times, he had failed to save his closest allies and friends, after which he would be forced to watch them die before his eyes. Of course, he knew well over a hundred flyers had died in different fights under his leadership but he had formed longer and closer relationships of trust with those who had served him directly all these Cold Times… losing them never got any easier.

However, Bluegust's last words revealed his and his despicable brother's true intentions. They had tried to assassinate both him and Sireia but also take out his entire inner circle in order to utterly wipe out the herd's leadership. Their worst mistake had been to assume he was in his resting place along with Sireia and because of that, their plot had failed miserably. However, the threat was still very real to his herd, especially as his authority was still more than shaky. But for now, he'd make sure these villains would never succeed in their miserable conspiracy. He cried at Bluegust in utter rage as he prepared to hit him with all his might.

"You will pay for that, Bluegust! You should have simply gone some far away with your brother and never shown your face here again! But now, I will make sure you will not escape again!" He cried as he hit the other flyer, causing him to fall into the ground. He immediately dug into his side as quickly as he could, knowing he had only a few seconds to utilize his advantage. The larger flyer, however, wasted no time in regaining his footing and he turned at Lenel in a mixture of surprise and hate.

"So those fools failed to get you after all? Well, at least I'll get the chance to repay our last encounter in kind…" He said, more than willing to avenge his previous loss. Lenel looked at him with equal amount of loathing and determination, knowing his fate wasn't to be stopped by this brute so vey close to his life-long dream. He'd take this monster out before getting his brother and after that, his dreams were only waiting to be realized.

A look of horror and disgust rose to Petrie's face as he saw Taria's remains far, far below him. It was something out from a bad sleep story and before he realized it, his wings started to feel all wobbly and weak. He nearly started to fall into the ground before he suddenly realized what was happening. He soon snapped himself out of his repulsion and instead whispered to the girl beside her.

"L… look there. Not even sharpteeth… do something like that." He said, really wondering whether the sight would hit Glide as anything unusual. However, her voice fell completely as she answered, clear horror apparent as she spoke.

"No, they don't. I… I knew Bluegust was a monster but…" Her voice died out before she could finish her sentence, a fact that made Petrie feel even more miserable than before. He then turned to look directly at her and asked her in a pitiful voice.

"How… how you able to take this life, Glide? All you others seem to do is just fight and kill in the worst ways possible! This… this just terrible!" He squeaked, making Glide take a deep sigh, forcing her gaze away from the ghastly sight. She spoke to Petrie in a heavy voice that wasn't completely without guilt.

"I know, Petrie. It didn't use to be this bad and really, you've seen the very worst things about us. But neither did I ever expect things to go like this. I'm sorry you had to see this." She said, clearly horrified by the amount of evil her own herd had been capable of inflicting. She was clearly disturbed by what had happened and she wasn't going to hide that fact from Petrie. The boy frowned deeply as he looked at the girl but he decided against pressing the point further. it wasn't his friend's fault, after all.

"Well… so is Petrie. But where would you think Peak is right now? Me think Ortin not far away from there either." He said, more than puzzled by the former leader's apparent absence. Glide frowned deeply at that question, knowing that fact as well as Petrie. No leader worthy of his name or pride would hide in a battle while still retaining his respect in the eyes of his followers. That could possibly mean only one thing even if that didn't make the search any easier.

"If Peak isn't anywhere to be seen, he must not be well enough to do so. Lenel most likely hurt him really badly during their last meeting but even then, he cannot be far away. If I had to guess, he must be giving orders in some gorge or cave very near to us. However, it is impossible for me to say exactly in which was one." She said, her eyes scouring her surroundings in an effort to find something, anything of worth. Petrie looked at her in clear shock, realizing just how worrying those implications actually were. The fight would end sooner or later and whatever its outcome, the duo's window of opportunity would be closed for good. He gulped clearly as he turned to look at the girl in clear worry.

"B… but surely there has to be some way we can find Ortin! For example, me don't believe they'd bring the fight close to Peak if he really so badly hurt? Would it not make sense to look for him in some safe place where he can follow what's going on while still being safe?" He tried to reason, hoping his words would at least bring some ideas to his friend. Glide glanced at the boy with a confused look, thinking deeply about what he had just said. She slowly turned her gaze towards a plateau where opened a clear view towards the fight, making her frown slightly. She then spoke to Petrie as she changed her direction slightly.

"Peak would not be stupid enough to move to a place that predictable but perhaps… follow me, Petrie." She said as her eyes fixed on a high hill sticking up from that plateau. With any luck, she'd find the fiend who had caused so much trouble to her and her herd while also being able to reunite with an old, dear friend.

* * *

The atmosphere around him seemed to grow more threatening and depressing by the minute. He didn't dare approach Peak but judging from his expression and body language, things were hardly moving in a welcome direction. Not a word had been exchanged among the flyers in a long, long time and the only sounds that could be heard were the sound of the wind and occasional cursing from the former leader. Ortin found himself suddenly crossing arms as he looked miserably around himself. Peak's last words had never left him and as his mood seemed to drop continuously, the boy felt a heavy weight climb up his throat.

He had tried not to think of it but Peak had really meant that he expected his entire family to go down with him if this last, desperate attempt to take Lenel out would fail. And now that this prospect started to seem very real, horror started to finally form in the boy's mind. If Peak decided that the battle was completely lost, would he then simply turn around and kill him? That thought chilled the young boy without an end as he had never seen such a monstrous deed as a real possibility before.

Inside, the flyer knew just what kind of reasoning was behind Peak's words, however. He had been told many times that the fortune of his line was more important than any of his own thoughts or dreams. That he was supposed to either uphold Warekli's glory or fade away into the Great Beyond. And as long as he could remember, he had accepted that charge as an integral part of himself and he was even proud of his family. And even now, he embraced his connection to Warekli and his work as the flyer who forever remembered as the most righteous and just of the leaders of the flyer herds of old. He would never disown his ancestor but… as Ortin looked at Peak, his thoughts suddenly grew dark.

Ever since his removal from power, Peak had grown increasingly desperate and willing to throw everything away for one chance to regain what he had lost or at least for being able to have his revenge against those who had harmed him. The boy hated Lenel deeply for what he had done to his family and he wouldn't have minded seeing the pale flyer pay for his treachery. However, he could very well see that these grand hopes for a righteous revenge were quickly disappearing, mostly because Peak had been too proud or reckless to build a new herd around his name.

A disgusted smirk rose to the flyer's face as he looked at his higher-ranked relative. As long as he could remember, Peak had never shown a sign of compassion or kindness to him, instead giving all his attention to his own children and now, he had the never to ask him to die because of his mistakes? Inside Ortin, something changed the moment he realized that fact and really, he had absolutely no will to give the ultimate sacrifice to a relative who had led him and those around him into this nightmare. Ortin knew he wouldn't allow this to happen and he slowly turned at his grandmother and spoke silently.

"You aren't going to allow him do this, are you?" He said in a fearful voice, hoping his words would have some effect on the elderly female. The older flyer, slowly turned at the boy and looked at him with fearful and saddened eyes.

"Ortin… you know that we aren't supposed to question the will of Warekli's heir. I've told you so more times than I can remember." She said, her voice wavering with compassion. She hated seeing her grandson look at her with such wide eyes but even then, she knew her place in the world and in her family. She only hoped the younger flyer would understand his as well. However, Ortin wasn't about to give up.

"But we are all Warekli's children, grandma! We can't let his line die out!" He tried to reason, his words being as genuine as they were desperate. The older flyer looked at the child with a look that radiated clear displeasure but she wasn't going to raise her voice.

"He deserves better than to see his line being reduced into nothing, Ortin. This simply is how it has to be." She said, causing the male to frown deeply. He was just about to speak when she heard a loud cry from Peak, a call he knew to be that of an impeding withdrawal. He knew those implications when he looked at the old flyer and spoke in a more decisive voice.

"I'm not going to accept this, grandma. I'm not going to die because of Peak's mistakes!" He suddenly said, causing the older flyer's eyes to widen and her right wing to tremble as she heard those words. She was only starting to think about her answer when Peak turned around and cried at the elderly flyer in annoyance.

"Can't you silence that brat? Things are already bad enough without me being forced to listen to his insufferable whining!" He said, making both of the other flyers sigh in relief. At the very least he hadn't heard the boy's words but even then, Ortin had made his decision. He sighed briefly before turning at his grandmother and speaking to her in a voice that radiated sadness and sorrow.

"I'm so sorry, grandma. But I simply have to do this." He said slowly before he grabbed a stone and threw it right at Peak and cried in alarm.

"You will not tell me whether to live or die, Peak!" He cried desperately before turning around to escape deeper into the cave. He could feel the wind blowing through the tunnel, confirming without debt that there had to be another exit from the cave.

* * *

Petrie smirked slightly as he heard Peak's last call as it confirmed his position with utmost certainty. He knew that the former leader would never make his position known unless he was growing more than desperate. However, that fact didn't mean too much to the flyer, all of his thoughts now fixated on thinking how Ortin would react to seeing him and Glide. Petrie himself couldn't cast aside the knowledge that his former friend was apparently close to Peak whose treachery had cost uncle Pterano his life. Inside, he hoped he could make Ortin see the truth about Peak but if he couldn't… he didn't know whether he could forgive the blue flyer himself. After all, if he defended the bastard who had taken his dear uncle from him… Petrie decided to ignore those thoughts for now. He soon turned at Glide and spoke to her urgently.

"There seem to be some small opening not far from peak! You think we able to sneak in from there?" The brown flyer asked, causing Glide to look at the direction her friend had pointed closely. It was true that it hardly was a good strategy to simply fly right at the main opening and right ap Peak and really, if the orange flyer was anywhere near as cunning as a flyer of his status should be, he must have reserved himself at least some kind of escape route. She slowly turned at Petrie and spoke to him in alarm, wondering just how much time she and her friend had before Lenel would start looking for the one who had tried to assassinate him in the most despicable way possible.

"That's as good idea as any! Come, let's take a look!" She said as she quickly headed towards the cave, hoping that the two flyers' hopes wouldn't prove to be unfounded. Inside, she was excited to meet Ortin again but even then, she also knew that it was highly unlikely the events of the last weeks hadn't left their mark on the blue-colored boy. Even then, she had missed him ever since their parting and any doubts she had of meeting him again were drowned by her still-warm feeling towards him. Petrie followed her immediately, knowing that whatever happened next would be far from easy.

* * *

Lenel looked in disgust as the massive flyer before him took one step after another back, looking at his hand that was painted red from a brief touch at his chest. Bluegust panted deeply as he looked at the other male, not able to believe it. Again, he had been bested by the pale flyer even if many had claimed him to be the most fearsome fighter in the old herd. However, Lenel's agility and patience were something that killed most of his advantage in strength. He had thought of their last meeting as some kind of mistake or anomaly but here he was, even more badly hurt than before. He slowly fell to his knees as the higher-ranked male walked towards him, licking the blood from his own beak.

"Now, you will tell me where your brother is hiding or I'll make sure your end will become that much more difficult. Now, speak!" He said, kicking the other flyer in his stomach in order to underline his point. Bluegust turned to look at him in pain, thinking about what to do. He remembered Peak's words earlier this morning as he slowly looked around himself, seeing only that one by one, all of his companions were being cut down. It wouldn't be long before the last of them would fall under the vengeance of those still loyal to Lenel. He hated the fact that it would all end like this but in the end, the chance for success had been extremely small from the very beginning. He looked at Lenel in clear defeat and managed to speak to him only with great efforts.

"May the Bright Circle curse you, Lenel! You… you took everything from us!" He said, causing Lenel to kneel beside the wounded male and spoke to him in a trembling voice.

"Maybe I did not say it clearly enough! Now, tell me where he is!" Lenel cried as he hit the larger flyer again, revealing his teeth in the hopes of intimidating the other flyer even more. Bluegust was far from a coward and he would have gladly taken any amount of torture if it only helped his brother. However, he wasn't fond of that option and besides, he didn't even have to take it.

"Know that your threats have no effect on any flyer worthy of his name! I will only speak because Peak gave me that chance. He knew that we could only win or fade into the past and we both agreed on just that. P… Peak is in the cave in the side of the narrow mountain immediately to the south of this plateau. He will gladly accept any fate the Bright Circle will grant on him but no matter what you do, remember that we will this battle in the hearts of those who come after us! They will know that Warekli's children went down with pride while Olres' betrayed everything they ever stood for! And for that, I am content with my role in this life." He said as he lowered his head, not seeing as Lenel bowed towards him with an annoyed but determined look. He brought his beak near Bluegust's ear and whispered to him with a slow voice.

"You may say whatever you want to yourself but it was Peak's pride who brought us to this situation. Warekli's pride will disappear but Olres' glory will be reborn so very soon. Peak lied to you all along but as you truly were stupid enough to do his dirty work for him, you would have deserved a far worse fate than this, Bluegust!" He said as he quickly slid the massive flyer's throat open, turning away before he saw his old enemy's life depart from his body. His attention was completely fixed at the sight of the mountain that stuck out from the mountainside like a sore thumb. Soon enough, he would be able to repay Peak's ambush in kind but before then, he'd make him feel every pain he had caused on Sireia countless times over!

* * *

The tunnel before him seemed to never end and each sound he heard turned into a roar as Ortin tried to escape from Peak and the rest of his family, the former not approving the least of the young boy's deed. Ortin knew he had been told never to rise against Peak but on this day, he simply couldn't stand the older flyer's attitude and his sickening plans. He had no idea what would happen if they caught him but he certainly wasn't going to find out. Aside from his grandmother, his long-gone father was the only family member he had really cared about and he simply wouldn't allow himself to be killed because his grandmother was stupid or stubborn enough to still follow Peak.

"Catch the brat! We have to stay together in this hour, no matter what!"

Ortin cringed deeply as he heard those words, not able to believe any of Peak's own children or anyone else still believed those words. The boy's eyes scoured the eyes around him as he tried to avoid getting tripped by some bigger stone in the ground. He could hear his chasers' footsteps grow closer by the second but even then, he knew he couldn't give up. He had to get away from here and somehow forge a new life for himself. He would survive and he would ensure the survival of Warekli's line and make Lenel pay for h…

Suddenly, Ortin felt his right foot hit something in the ground and before he could o anything more, he felt himself hit the floor of the cave. His beak hurt tremendously but he knew better than to waste time thinking about such things. He was just about to get back to his feet as he heard a familiar voice speak to him from the darkness. The sound of that voice made him smile even before he even saw the speaker.

"Ortin! Is that you?" Glide's voice asked as she looked at the boy's vague form that was lying right before her. The blue-colored flyer looked at the girl before him, not really finding any words to say right now. He hadn't expected to meet her here but only now did Ortin realize just how much he had missed his closest friend. He stuttered slightly as he finally managed to form some coherent words.

"G… Glide! Wh… how? And Petrie? Is that you?" His voice fell somewhat as he saw the other male who walked right after Glide. He was even more surprised to see him with the girl and really, he had never really yearned to see him again and even now, his presence dampened his initial joy at seeing Glide again. However, Petrie smiled at him slightly as he tried to answer the question.

"Yep, Petrie here so…" He started but before he got any further, Ortin suddenly realized just what was going on. He quickly ran towards the two other flyers and spoke to them urgently.

"Stay silent, idiot! Peak and the others are coming and we have to get away before…" He spoke but this time, he was interrupted by yet another voice. Ortin froze still as he heard that sound, not yet able to decide whether it was a blessing or a curse.

"Get here, Peak! I know you're out there! It is all over for you and your plots as your brother confessed with his last breath!" He cried, causing Ortin to shiver with fright. He had never really liked Bluegust but to hear him to be dead… For some reason, that fact filled him with fear and even sadness. The three young flyers stared into the darkness, each of them realizing that not any footsteps could be heard anymore.

* * *

"We'll have to go face him, Peak. It is far better for us to maintain our honor through all this than to let Ortin steal the last thing we still have left: our pride. I'm so sorry." The elderly female spoke, her heart filled with sorrow. Inside, she was happy Ortin had made his choice even if she knew his future was still severely ruined by the actions of his family. A member of a disgraced family never lived for long but in her mind, Ortin deserved a chance. She only hoped he wouldn't come to regret that choice.

Peak, on the other hand, could only stare before himself with empty eyes, his thoughts swirling around countless different things. For once, the fact that Lenel knew his location meant that Bluegust indeed was dead. Suddenly, all of his days with him flew before his eyes, all the happy times they had as children, as young flyers and even at the head of his herd. Now, he was gone forever, leaving him to face the inevitable.

And Bluegust's passing meant that he last hopes of saving his family had failed. Everything he had ever worked for lied in ruins, all of his dreams and protecting those around himself reduced to nothing. And even worse, that cursed brat had taken away whatever authority he still had retained and proved that not even his own relatives listened to him anymore. He stared forward for many, long seconds until the elderly flyer finally grew worried and asked the male carefully.

"Peak? You have to decide something!" She said, frowning even more as Peak continued to stare into nothingness for a few more seconds. However, he soon turned at the older dinosaur and finally gave his answer in a faraway and even haunted voice.

"We'll face Lenel. Ortin will face his punishment in due time but for now, we'll have to accept what's coming for us. Follow me one last time."

* * *

 **Peak's attempt to regain his former position has failed miserably and it seems like he has accepted what is to come. However, the encounter is still far from over and Petrie and his friends are still hardly safe from the storms around them… I truly regret my slower writing pace but I hope to resume my earlier pace some time during the next month. But right now, it's again time for another short story so we'll have to wait for Ruby's plot to move forward a bit longer.**

 **Eris: Those are some questions that we'll** **hopefully** **learn in the not-so-distant future. :)**

 **The Rhombus: Ducky's journey has indeed been a heartbreaking one and it's quite clear she and Ruby can relate to each other's tragedies. Spike's death certainly will linger in her mind for the rest of her life but at least, she now has someone she knows she can trust to cast away at least some of the pain.**

 **As for Stealth, the situation with him will be more complicated than I gave away in the last chapter. Stealth and Ruby's reunion will happen soon enough but suffice to say, a sharptooth like him has many personal motives as well… I'm really happy you liked the chapter and thanks for the thoughtful review.**

 **OwlsCantRead: Hey, the herd isn't that bad. Well, it kinda is but you'll see why later on. I can't give too much away that won't spoil the next chapters but it is true that Petrie will regret joining them more times than once. But Glide's motives aren't quite as dark as you imply as you will see in due time.**


	38. Stealth's Pain, Ruby's Reminder

**Stealth's Pain, Ruby's Reminder**

A slight cringe rose to Detras' face as the cold night wind ruffled his nearly frozen feathers. He was trembling due to the weather but that was one of the last worries in his mind right now. He eyed the many sharpteeth and halfteeth around himself who were clearly taking him and his mate somewhere. The male could see Stealth's larger form not far ahead of himself and inside, he couldn't help but wonder what the hell was going on. He was more than relieved by the fact that he was still alive but that raised the question of what Stealth really wanted from him and Pearl.

The moments flowed forward slowly as the fastrunner saw vague shadows around himself which immediately told him that Stealth was going into some sheltered part of the forest nestled on the upper foothills of the woodland which confirmed the fact that Stealth didn't want any witnesses to whatever would happen next. After another minute of walking, Stealth finally stopped walking and snapped in a sharp voice.

"On your knees, now!" The sailback said, making it clear to whom he was speaking to. Detras hated being forced to slither before some cursed brute like Stealth or Dein but he and his mate knew that it was obviously the better option than to be slaughtered immediately. He sighed slightly as he felt his knees sinking into the ground sparkles which made the cold feel even more sickening. He slowly raised his gaze at Stealth, briefly looking at the lesser lights of the sky smiling at the fastrunners even on this day which was turning into one of the darkest ones in their lives. Detras, however, forced his eyes back at Stealth and he frowned deeply as he spoke to the sharptooth.

"Could you finally tell what do you want of us? I, for one, am sick of being forced to serve someone who doesn't even want to tell the reason for it!" The halftooth said, knowing that such behavior likely wouldn't sit well with the larger dinosaur but really, he didn't have a whole lot more to lose anymore. If Stealth would end him and Pearl here, so be it, but he wouldn't allow himself to be reduced into a mere slave before it.

The sharptooth, on the other hand, looked at the omnivore with an unmoved expression, only one small muscle stirring in his left cheek. Even if Stealth's body language was highly neutral, the two omnivores could see that a deep hatred burned at the back of the predator's eyes and when he finally spoke, that sentiment was more than confirmed. Stealth's voice was clearly restrained but it dipped with loathing and rage.

"If you were worth even a ground fuzzy's rotten toe, you would be able to answer that at least, you sorry excuses of halfteeth! Anyway, let's start it simple. Do you know who I am?" He asked, his posture telling to the fastrunners that they'd have to think of the answer carefully. Pearl frowned slightly as she thought of the answer. Certain memories had stirred within her mind when Ruby had first told of her new "alliance", true, but even back then, she couldn't really come up with anything important or major about the sailback. Despite her lack of knowledge about the other dinosaur, the female still answered in a confident and calm voice.

"I cannot say that your reputation has spread that far and wide, Stealth. But yes, I have heard of you before which is more than I can say of more sharpteeth." She said, hoping that her answer would do something, anything to ease the situation up a bit but to her fear and disappointment, her words only brought a murderous and bitter look to the sailback's face. He then approached Pearl and circled her slowly as he presented his next answer.

"My reputation hasn't spread far and wide, you say? Well, I guess the Cold Time may have just slowed down the news but in that case, I have something you have to see. Sterntooth, Yellowfoot, bring it here!" Stealth cried, causing the two fastrunners to exchange confused looks. What in earth was Stealth talking about? Clearly, something had happened since their departure to Desolate Rise but neither of them had any idea what. Worried thoughts swirled within their minds when a fastbiter and a thinclaw approached them slowly, lowering a certain object in front of the omnivores. Detras looked at it with wide eyes, starting to pant deeply as he tried to form a few words but at first, he failed miserably.

"I… is that… is it…" He started but Stealth didn't allow him to finish. He nearly spat out the words even if it was clear he enjoyed the smaller male's reaction greatly. They were talking of his life's greatest triumph and Detras and Pearl's reaction were more than expected.

"One of Red Claw's claws? Indeed it is. That old bastard finally met his end three weeks ago when he and his pawns attempted too brave an attack against a herd of longnecks. Those barkbreaths are dumber than a head-injured bellydragger but trying to take on too many of them at once is always a losing strategy. I guess that poor bastard was starving to death or either he did a massive miscalculation when he engaged the longnecks. In any case, he managed to escape his fight with one large, brown male but he was seriously hurt afterwards." Stealth said with a grin, knowing that no matter what happened, he'd walk out as the victor from this conversation.

Pearl, on the other hand, was just as taken aback as her mate, knowing the implications of Stealth's words. Dein and Terri had tried to take him down for many seasons and each time, Red Claw had seemed to only consolidate his position around the Valley. To think that first Red Claw had lost to some longneck and then to a sailback… she had hard time believing that. And considering the amount of allies Stealth now had made her even more concerned. However, there was another thought that fostered within her mind. Red Claw's passing had been undoubtedly good news and if Stealth could stand up to Dein and Terri as well… Her hopeful thoughts were interrupted as Stealth continued.

"And to that fool's surprise, it was I who happened to stalk him in hopes something like this could happen. Red Claw's reign was already starting to go downwards but even then, he gave me a real challenge. Had he been in full health, I wouldn't have stood a chance. But even now, few sailbacks have ever stood up to a two-footer and even fewer have prevailed." He said, clearly too full of himself for words. Stealth knew the implications of his deed but even now, he knew full well the limits of his power and knew that taking out a wounded sharptooth didn't make him invincible. Yet, his antics were slowly getting on Detras' nerves and he wasted no time answering to the predator's bragging.

"Well, good riddance then. I don't think anyone is going to miss that brute. But I ask again, what does all of this have to do with this?" He put his hands on hips and took a more annoyed expression. Yes, he was relieved to hear the sharptooth was gone but considering the direct threat posed by both Chomper's parents and Stealth, that hardly improved his mood too greatly. Stealth exhaled deeply as he quickly raised his gaze towards the skies before taking the previous, more threatening expression.

"That is a question you'll answer to yourselves once I tell you the names Sprinter and Whiteclaw. I'm more than certain you'll recognize those names, don't you?" He said, confirming what Detras had started to fear a moments earlier. Indeed, those two had been the only two sailbacks he and his mate had met earlier but he still hoped things wouldn't turn out in the worst way possible.

"I do. They were two sharpteeth whom we attacked many times in the past in order to fulfill our alliance with Dein and Terri. At one point, they likely were killed finally and truth be told, I wasn't saddened by it. It was purely up to luck that they didn't kill either me or Pearl." He said, not really knowing what to say. On the other hand, he had an inkling where all of this was going but on the other hand, his apparent pride and respect were some qualities that Dein had always liked about him and he hoped Stealth wouldn't see it differently either. Pearl gazed at him in worry, hoping the male knew what he was doing. However, Stealth's first reaction was far from encouraging.

"Attacked? No, no, no, you don't seem to understand what happened or either you aren't honest enough even to yourself! You stalked, tormented them, destroyed them until the merciful end! And even worse, you and your cursed allies tried to slaughter me more times than I can remember!" Stealth cried, finally causing even Detras to take a few steps back in fear. So, it was true. Stealth was that duo's child and judging by his behavior, it wasn't hard to see what had happened to them.

Inside, Pearl felt the familiar feeling of self-loathing make itself known. However, this time, she could easily contain it as she knew more than well that blaming her and Detras this time wasn't reasonable by any stretch of imagination. She frowned deeply as she answered to the young sharptooth.

"Just drop it, Stealth! Yes, we may have been a part of that all but any sharptooth knows that our kind simply has no say in it all! Blaming us would be completely asinine!" Pearl cried, clearly to Stealth's displeasure. The sharptooth slowly bowed at the fastrunner and his voice trembled as he spoke, slightly rising the further he got.

"You had no say in any of it? Now, Pearl, I have reason to doubt you're not completely honest with me. After all, many of my allies have told me that there has seldom been a family of fastrunners more loyal to one sharptooth than you were to Dein and Terri. In fact, my own parents told me you worked together as if you truly were their equals, as if you truly respected each other. Say one more time that you never had a choice. I DARE YOU!" He cried as he pushed Pearl against a massive rock before tearing five gaping wounds in her belly with his claws. At this sight, Detras cried at the sharptooth in a mixture and outrage, hoping to do something, anything that would save his beloved mate from any more pain.

"That's more than enough, Stealth! Just leave Pearl out of this as it was me who brought our family into an alliance with Dein and Terri. They respected me more than many others of my kind and it would have gone against all reason to decline their offer! Yes, we worked with them willing but only in order to safeguard our own situation against those who would bring us harm! I did only what was best for me, my mate and for my children. I'm sorry about what happened to your parents but each of us knows that certain things simply happen that none of us would want to come to pass." He said, hoping that honesty was the best policy as it had so often been.

Stealth looked at the fastrunner dryly, not really willing to waste any more time with these puny omnivores. Yet, he could see what Dein and Terri had seen within this fastrunner but for him, his unusually courageous behavior meant little. Slowly, he eased his grip of Pearl who collapsed into the ground in Pain and then spoke to the other male in a voice that dipped with hate and bitterness but this time, the imminent danger seemed to be absent.

"And that is the exact reason you are still alive. We all have to make our own decisions but if you think I'm simply going to forgive yours, you are terribly mistaken. After all, your benefactors hounded me and my family for weeks after we had left the Woodland of Plenty, or the Land of Mists as you might better know it, never giving any of us a moment's rest! Sprinter and Whiteclaw fought their minions night and day but surely, they grew weak and tired. I was there, Detras. I was there to see those bastards tear my parents into pieces before my very eyes. I still remember the look of fear on my mother's eyes as she looked at me mere seconds before her death before they dimmed forever. And indeed, you were there to make it all possible." Stealth said, causing Detras to gulp in clear anxiety. He couldn't deny Stealth's words even if his and his mate's role on that day had been merely to scout and find out the sailbacks' weakest point. Still, he didn't regret any of his deeds on that day and he knew that no sensible dinosaur would do so either. Right now, he wasn't certain about Stealth's state of mind, though.

"As I already said, I'm sorry about everything that happened, Stealth, but you cannot blame us! Can't you see that?" He asked, trying to reach the sharptooth's more rational self but at first glance, his efforts didn't seem to be successful. But after a moment, Stealth spat into the ground and knelt right in front of the fastrunner and took a slight smile.

"Oh, I can see it perfectly, Detras. You did what was best for your family but you know what? What you did was a disaster for mine and even afterwards, Dein and Terri tried to hunt me down for a long, long time. All that suffering simply because they couldn't stand even a potential challenger to their position, even if my parents wanted nothing but to use their territory in order to escape from the catastrophe that ruined our home. We would have been on our way before they knew it but no, those monsters clearly wanted to show us that there was no room fir other sharpteeth in this world and they slaughtered Sprinter and Whiteclaw for that petty reason!" He said, taking a short breather before he continued to speak.

"And that was how they turned my life into that cursed nightmare. I was forced to hide and run every moment from their minions and even that didn't seem to be enough. Once, they found me and nearly managed to bleed every drop of my blood away but I managed to lose them in a wide marshland by hiding in those stinking pools for days without end! As time passed, I started to manage to fight some of them off but it was a painful and hard journey. After many seasons, I had finally grown enough so that the weaker dinosaurs couldn't stalk me anymore and it was then that I started to slowly turn the tables and even bring the challenge to them. And I assure you, I won't rest before I've torn Dein and Terri to pieces and on that day, they'll learn the mistake they made on that day and on every day since!" The sharptooth cried at Detras who blinked once after the larger male had concluded his story, not at all convinced by Stealth's story. On one hand, he could understand his reasoning but even then, these kinds of things happened far too often in the Mysterious Beyond. Not finding anything to say just yet, the fastrunner waited for the sharptooth to finish his tale.

"And this is where I want to answer your question, halftooth. You said that you only did what was best for you and your family. Well, that is only what I am doing as well. If slaughtering mine benefited the ones you love, then it only makes sense that I wish to stop you from chasing your own goals ever again, don't you think? Or even better, I can use your help in order to finally have my revenge on those two bastards!" He said, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke, causing Detras to look at Stealth with a slightly suspicious look. He feared where this was going but even then, he knew he could hardly deny any request he would soon be presented. He briefly glanced at Pearl who looked at her mate pleadingly, clearly having as bad feelings about this conversation as the male. Detras merely sighed at that sight before turning back at the sharptooth and speaking a in a low but clear voice.

"So, are you here to propose a new alliance to us?" He asked the obvious question, hoping that the rest of this meeting would go according to the old traditions of forging an alliance bound by the honor of its creators. However, Stealth didn't wait a second before he answered in a mocking and loathing voice that immediately caused Detras' heart drop within his chest.

"An alliance? With you? Oh, I think you've understood it all wrong, Detras. An alliance would mean that we'd treat each other with respect and that we'd have mutual responsibilities towards each other. What I am offering, or rather giving, to you is a chance to simply serve me and hope you'll live through it all. You will eat when I allow it, you will sleep when I give you the permission and you will risk your lives when I demand it! And in the end, I will decide whether you've done well enough in order for me to spare your lives even after everything you did in the service of those two. Or alternatively, you can simply turn down my offer but in that case, I'll take you down here and now. So, which one will it be?" Stealth asked, knowing that all of the cards were within his claws. Even if the fastrunners would do the unthinkable, he wouldn't lose anything of worth whereas the omnivores would lose literally everything.

Pearl cringed in pain as she forced herself back to her feet, knowing just how hopeless the situation really was. She didn't want to have anything to do with Stealth but in the end, she and her mate shared one key interest with him. The sailback didn't know of the feud between the sharpteeth and the fastrunners and that fact gave them at least one bargaining chip. As long as Stealth thought that they were helping him simply because they had to, there was a chance that he would come to see the omnivores' value and loyalty to him. She stepped forward to her mate's side and finally spoke to the sharptooth again.

"You leave us no choice, Stealth. We agree to your terms. But even then, I'd like to ask why you approached Ruby earlier as we all know that she is of no worth to you." She said simply, hoping to receive a clear answer to Stealth. The male slowly turned around before turning his head to look at the omnivore as he started to walk away from her.

"Of course she isn't. No brat like her could change anything in the grand scheme of things but she was desperate enough to believe I actually cared about any of her problems. In fact, I offered her my alliance as I knew she'd lead me to you sooner or later and considering that no one knows Dein and Terri better than you, you might just play the key role in finally sending those two into the Great Beyond. Ruby has already fulfilled her role and she did just as I had predicted. But try to rest now. We'll move on early in the morning." Stealth said as he slowly disappeared into the darkness.

Those words didn't surprise Pearl in the least as she had realized from the beginning that there was something very wrong with Ruby's story but even then, she was beyond infuriated. The fact that the sharptooth had had the nerve to manipulate Ruby like this sickened her greatly but also the fact that she had no choice but to do as this villain told her worsened her mental state considerably. This was one of the most dangerous situations she had ever found herself or her mate in but even now, Ruby's situation weighed within her mind more. She slowly spoke to Detras in a voice, making sure none of Stealth's minions heard them.

"I just hope Ruby, Orchid and Arial will be safe. That's all I care now." She said, causing Detras to smile at her sadly. He then spoke in a low voice that mirrored his mate's tone completely.

"So do I. But try to rest now, dear. We can only protect them if we live through this all." He said, cringing at the suspicious looks the duo's conversation earned from the dinosaurs around them. It was clear that they wanted to hear nothing more about them and both fastrunners took a deep and forced sigh as they leaned towards one rocky wall and did as Stealth had told them.

* * *

"This is completely ridiculous, Ruby! We have no way of finding anyone in this darkness! And besides, Stealth, or any other sharptooth, has far better chance of surprising us first and I wouldn't want to see that happening!" Yarel cried as he looked at Ruby who frowned next to him. It was true that the darkness prevented them from seeing even their own hands, let alone another dinosaur. Even then, the fastrunner wasn't about to give up and she looked at the boy in slight chagrin about his words.

"We already went through all of this, Yarel! We don't know whether Stealth will rest tonight and if he doesn't, he will just move forward without ever knowing we even were here in the first place! And if we don't find him, we have no chance of ever being safe from Chomper's parents… or even from mommy and daddy." Ruby added sadly, crossing her arms as she looked at the sky far above her. Her brother and sister looked at their older sibling with worried eyes but they knew better than to try to argue with her about this issue. However, Ducky, who was riding Yarel this time, was far from convinced about the fastrunner's plans and she asked her carefully.

"Ruby… you know I trust you greatly, I really do, but… I have a bad feeling about this. Even if Stealth is a friend, even nice sharpteeth can do bad things if they think they are attacking someone who is not their friend. I cannot help but think what would happen if a sailback attacked us right now, nope, nope, nope." The swimmer said, causing Ruby's mood to fall slightly as she knew that the swimmer was speaking the truth. Stealth didn't know she was here and unless he paid attention to her smell, he'd have no way of knowing her identity until it would all be too late. However, there were two players in that game as well.

Without further words, Ruby turned her back at her companions and listened carefully to the sounds of the nightly forest. She could only hear the sound of a silent ground fuzzy, the screech of a flyer somewhere far away as well as the wailing of the wind. Even if she tried her best, there was no sounds of footsteps anywhere nearby. She carefully raised her sniffer higher into the air and started to inhale quickly. She continued for a few seconds, only to be interrupted by a worried remark from Ducky.

"It isn't of any use, nope, nope, nope. Even I know you cannot smell anything from the direction the wind is coming and besides, any sharptooth have better sniffers than we do." She said while burying her head in her hands, looking at the starry sky with a bothered look. She was soon awakened from her thoughts as Greentail joined the conversation.

"Yu knw… I mean, you know more th… than any of the other swimmers we've met before. The other ones have mostly just been an easy prey to the sharpteeth or… or even to us." She said, realizing that Ducky might take some offense of her words. Ducky snorted slightly, knowing that solemn fact extremely well by now. However, she couldn't bring herself to blame the injured girl for stating the obvious. However, this was no longer the Great Valley and there was absolutely no reason to really care about other dinosaurs' sensibilities. She knew her current mentality was a far cry from her Valley days but she couldn't care less anymore. Every last bit of her innocence had died with Spike.

"I know that more than well, Greentail. Swiftsplash never let me forget that as long as I live and I will not. After all, we swimmers have very few places to hide in unless there is water somewhere nearby. I… I am just sorry mama never told me or my brothers and sisters anything about life outside the Valley and it was so long ago before we arrived there that I have already forgotten all the wisdoms I was told before that day. Maybe… maybe if mama had told us more about how things really were, even Spike could have made it through it all." The swimmer said as she allowed one, single tear to fall on Yarel's back. That was a wound that would never heal and truth be told, Ducky didn't even want it to because as long as Spike lingered within her mind, she felt that at least some small part of him was still with her.

This change within her old friend wasn't lost to Ruby of course and she frowned deeply as she realized just how terribly life had also hit Ducky lately. But even then, there was no reason to dwell in those thoughts any longer and she cleared her throat in order to draw the attention back to herself.

"Well, she never thought anything like this would happen ever again. She meant well, Ducky, but far too often, meaning well only makes things worse in the future! But even then, we have to continue moving on or we'll lose Stealth's help for good and if we do that, things will get even worse for all of us. Stealth isn't anywhere near us so you can relax at least for a while longer." She said with an encouraging voice, causing Ducky to look at the fastrunner with a saddened and fearful expression. However, despite her misgivings about the situation, she understood Ruby's point and truth be told, she didn't have any better ideas than she did.

"I just hope things will stay that way far longer, I do." She said, earning an annoyed look from Ruby. She was far from happy about the swimmer's whining but she didn't want to start any kind of fight right now. She merely turned around and headed into the woods, praying she wouldn't lead her friends to their deaths.

* * *

Pearl felt like her entire chest was getting crushed under some unseen weight as she tried to force herself into the realm of sleep. She knew that it was the very best she could do right now but even then, every time she closed her eyes she saw either Ruby or herself getting killed in the most horrifying ways imaginable. Either they were slaughtered by Stealth or Chomper's parents or freezing to death but no matter what, those sights made it impossible for the female to even attempt to fall to sleep.

Carefully, she opened her eyes slightly and saw the rest of Stealth's allies either sleeping near her or guarding them from any surprising attacks. However, none of them seemed to be following her or any other fastrunner's actions too closely which enabled her to breathe at least a bit more easily. She slowly changed her position in order to make it at least a bit more comfortable but even then, her inner turmoil made that improvement trivial at best.

The female glanced at the male who was clearly deep asleep, envying him deeply. She knew he was just as horrified by their situation but he had often proven to be far better in controlling his emotions whereas Pearl often seemed to drown within her own anxiety. She brought her hand to her forehead in the hopes of calming herself down even a bit but even then, her inner guilt seemed to only grown within her mind.

She had wanted so very much to find Ruby and to ask for her forgiveness even if it was something Pearl knew she would never deserve from the daughter she had harmed so horribly. But now, even that one dream had ben crushed by Stealth's appearance but deep inside, the fastrunner decided she'd accept any outcome of her and the sharptooth's temporary relationship. If it was his role to act as the vessel of justice for her terrifying crimes, then so be it. At least in that case she'd receive the punishment she so very badly des…

Suddenly, the omnivore's eyes flashed open as she raised her sniffer into the air. That smell was extremely faint and certainly it had to be nothing but her ow imagination… Pearl tried to force her attention away from that brief smell and to attempt to resume her efforts to fall asleep but…. there it was again. This time, Pearl turned to look over the low wall of rocks overlooking a rather large area of the forest it. Not surprisingly, she could see nothing but darkness before her but this time, she couldn't deny that her sniffer had really caught the scent that was so very familiar to her. As she inhaled deeply, she brought her right hand to her chest as she felt her breaths deepening heavily.

C… could it really be? Could it really be Ruby, Orchid and Arial? But they were supposed to still be hours away from her so why would they be here in this hour? The array of emotions hit her like a charging threehorn as she thought about what had happened. At first, the guilty mother thought about whether it would be best if she simply would let them go and forget everything about their parents' horrible crimes.

However, even now the female realized the insanity of her own words. She and her mate had deliberately embarked on this journey to find their children and here she was thinking of simply throwing that idea away for virtually no reason. If nothing else, she owed it to Ruby to warn her about Stealth's true intentions and convince her to give up the folly of seeing him as an ally. A worried frown appeared on Pearl's face as she started to think about how to draw the attention of her children as she simply couldn't start to cry at them. She had to do this without raising ant unwanted attention from the other dinosaurs around her even if she knew that would be far from easy.

She couldn't use her voice and there was no way of sending her own scent against the wind so there was just one way she could do this: by trying to catch their attention by sending them some visible signal of her location. Having a slight idea about how to do it, the fastrunner started to look at the area around her in the hopes of finding some gleaming rock around her. The ground sparkles made that effort even more difficult than normal but luckily, she had seen many such rocks in the past few days and it shouldn't be impossible for her to find one of them here as well… there's one of them!

Pearl couldn't believe her luck as she picked up one sharp, white-colored rock that seemed to already gleam slightly at the light of the ground sparkles. She knew her idea was unlikely to succeed but even then, she had no options. The female sighed slightly as she raised the rock over the wall separating the resting place from the rest of the forest, hoping her efforts wouldn't be crushed just yet.

* * *

Even if she would wanted to keep her own and her companions' spirits up, Ruby couldn't help but start feeling worried herself. She still wasn't ready to join the others' fears that Stealth would slaughter them all by accident but she couldn't lie to herself any longer. The forest was a massive area and the chance that she'd find him in practically complete darkness was terribly low. Even worse, she could see that the frigid night wind was only dampening the group's spirits further. They had already wandered well over an hour and all the time, the quest seemed more and more desperate.

No matter how much she hated to admit, Ruby couldn't deny that she didn't even believe herself that she'd find Stealth tonight. The sharptooth was much faster than she was due to the ground sparkles right now and it was likely the predator had already left the forest altogether. Knowing there was no reason to prolong this futile search any longer, she sighed in resignation and turned to face her companions.

"Very well, you win. We will not find him in this darkness and if we're not going to find him, it doesn't matter if we waste the rest of the night looking for him or try to rest a little. I'm sorry I even took you with me on a quest like this." She said in a mixture of genuine apology and slight vitriol. She had only wanted for the best of her siblings and friends but they seemed only to blame her for being overly optimistic. Seeing Yarel act like this wasn't a surprise but the rest of the omnivores seemed to blame her for something as well. Orchid crossed his hands as he answered to his sister.

"I'm sorry, Ruby, that we didn't find him but I'm sure we'll do it later! There's no reason to feel bad just yet even if this search was a mistake from the beginning." He said, not finding anything else to tell Ruby. The older fastrunner then looked at the rest of her companions and saw the expressions ranging from blaming ones into annoyed and sorry ones. Ruby briefly rolled her eyes in frustration before speaking again.

"I know, Orchid, you don't have to remind me! But for now, let's just find some place to rest and… uhh, what is that?" The girl said as she suddenly started to point into the darkness. Yarel frowned slightly as he looked at the direction the fastrunner was pointing at and he briefly answered with a dismissive voice.

"There's nothing out there, Ruby. Just drop it and let's get to sleep." He said as he walked towards a nearby rock, hoping it would shield him from the chill for the rest of the night. Ruby looked at him in hesitation, not sure if she had actually seen what she had thought. However, just as she was following the boy's example, she finally saw that same twinkling light in the darkness and for a moment, panic rose within her chest. What if those were the eyes of a sharptooth, only waiting for a moment to attack her and the other halfteeth? However, she still couldn't quite hear any footsteps or see any movement and besides, that light didn't seem like any kind of eyes Ruby had ever seen before. She waved her hand and whispered to Yarel and the others.

"Follow me, everyone. And be silent." She said, not on the mood to explain anything just yet to her companions. Arial and Orchid exchanged worried glances, the atmosphere in the small group really starting to make them more anxious than they would have liked. Still, they didn't hesitate following their sister and slowly but surely, they began to follow Ruby.

The knowledge that she was going in the wind's direction annoyed Ruby greatly as she knew that she wouldn't be able to smell anything from this direction. Any clever sharptooth would do just that but what kind of sharptooth would like to lay out a trap like this to young halfteeth instead of just tearing them to pieces? There was something fishy in all of this and Ruby was more than determined to find out what. She frowned slightly as she saw a dark form appear from the shadows and for a moment, she felt her heart starting to beat harder within her chest but soon, she realized it was only a wall of rock. But this was the direction the gleam had come from. What in the world…

"Ruby! Don't come any closer!" The girl's eyes opened wide as she heard those words, stopping still completely. H... had she actually heard what she thought? Had she actually just heard the voice of her mother? Her gaze slowly moved upwards and she vaguely saw the silhouette of the face she hadn't expected to see ever again. The face of one of the dinosaurs who had swirled within her mind ever since that fateful day not so very long… Every part of Ruby's body told her to turn around and ran for her life. She wouldn't forgive this monster who had tried to take her down in her most vulnerable moment. She would never again call her her mother, not after everything she had done.

Ruby's mood fell even further as she realized that she was most likely here just to finish her bloody job and make sure she would never see the dawn of another day. Ruby's expression darkened by the second and all curiosity of her mother's situation and her father's whereabouts died under the weight of her righteous fury. She was just about cry her venomous answer when she heard Arial's confused cry.

"Mommy, is that you? What ar…" She started to speak when she was suddenly silenced by a surprising and worrying sight. Her voice died down in her throat as she saw some other dinosaur's hand hit Pearl's vague form and she and the rest of the juvenile omnivores and their swimmer friend heard an annoyed voice speak.

"Just be silent, fool! Others, go check if whoever she was talking to is still there! We don't need any interruptions!" The voice cried, causing each one of the intruders to turn on their heels and ran a bit further away from the spot. This time, the darkness served to their advantage as nobody would be able to track them down in the complete blackness. Yarel spoke briefly after a moment sharply, knowing they'd have to find some shelter as soon as possible.

"Come on, let's hide here! If they get too close to us, we'll still be able to escape further!" He cried, running towards a small pass between two high hills that rose in the middle of the wide forest. Ruby noticed the wisdom in his reasoning immediately and the fastrunners quickly dropped into the ground, hoping that their potential chasers wouldn't find them here. Seconds passed slowly and soon enough, Ruby heard Ducky speak to her in a low and fearful voice.

"Uhh… Ruby? Was that really your mama out there?" She asked, knowing just how difficult that fact had to be to her old friend. The fastrunner's expression grew ever darker as he heard those words, her inner rage surprising even the girl herself.

"It was Ducky, sadly. At least she has finally ended up in a company she deserves! I hope they hit her hard and badly!" Ruby realized just how uncharastetically for herself she was acting but at this moment, she couldn't care less. Ever since she had last met her mother, she had dwelled in a mix of confusion, hurt and self-loathing but now, she realized all of those were nothing but undercurrents for her primary emotion: bitterness. The fastrunner's hand turned into a fist as she heard Ducky answer in a stunned voice.

"Ruby… that was not nicely said at all, nope, nope, nope." Was all the swimmer could say but the omnivore didn't wait for a second before she snapped back at the smaller dinosaur.

"And trying to tear my throat to pieces was? Is that what you are saying, Ducky? Now, is it?" She said in a toxic voice that made the swimmer look even more worried than before. However, she was at least momentarily saved from the difficult situation when Orchid finally spoke to his sister, finally having had enough of her antics.

"Ruby, I know just what they did! If you don't remember, it was me who warned you about it all but even then, mommy might need our help! She wasn't able to kill you after all and… and I'd like to meet her again. At least… at least she doesn't deserve to be bullied by those other dinosaurs that were there with her." The boy's expression was an extremely pleading one and he looked at Ruby longingly. However, the pink omnivore frowned at those words before countering her brother's proposition.

"What is this about, Orchid? I thought you came with me simply because you wanted to get as far away from mommy and daddy and possible but here you are again claiming that you wish me to forget what happened and act like things are how they once were!" She nearly cried, at this point cursing herself for allowing her siblings to come with her in the first place. The boy's face fell further as he tried to reason with the other omnivore.

"That's not it, Ruby. It's just that…" He started but he soon realized that Arial had come to his side, apparently willing to continue where her brother had stopped. Orchid nodded at the girl warmly after which Arial started to speak.

"It's just that we wouldn't like to see it all end like this. Mommy was clearly asking for our help which means she doesn't want anything bad to us anymore. And… even if it was all terrible she and daddy did, we'd still want to think of happier times when things were still well. Don't you want to believe there is still something good to be regained after all this, Ruby?" She asked with innocent eyes but she still had absolutely no idea just how deeply her words had hit Ruby. The older sibling stared at the young girl in astonishment, feeling as if Arial was staring right into her soul. Her worried, innocent eyes made Ruby feel almost sick as she raised her gaze to look into the far distance.

Not so long ago, she had been ready to give up her life simply to give her family a better future and she had said to Orchid that she was ready to take that step. But only now, the memory of why she had said that returned to her mind. Back then, she had thought that saving a part of her old happiness she had so badly relished to her siblings and to try to make sure that her legacy wouldn't be that of utter tragedy and pitifulness. A deep frown appeared on her face as she realized one small but important part of her motives on that day: she had still believed that everyone around her acted for the common good and that she still held that small flicker of eternal hopefulness instilled into her heart by especially Chomper, Littlefoot… and Ducky. The swimmer looked at the fastrunner oddly as Ruby gave her a brief and subliminal smile.

However, she soon sank deeper into her thoughts as she again pondered her younger sister's words. Did she believe that anything good could happen anymore or that this seemingly endless would only grow worse for everyone involved? Inside, Ruby knew her younger self would have been appalled at her words and actions, instead pointing at exactly the same issues as Arial. At heart, she was a fun-loving and optimistic fastrunner but it was true that her recent actions implied otherwise. Right now, her actions were guided only by her bitterness and even if she hated to admit that to herself, she knew that was true.

Again, her miraculous conversation returned into Ruby's mind. Chomper had told her to move forward… but he hadn't exactly told her how she should do that. She could either cast aside the advice of the last ones she still had left and leave her mother to those captors or accept that despite her horrible deed, Pearl still had noble motivations and that she could still forgive her and her mother and try to unite the family again that had been so badly torn apart. She suddenly felt her breathing grow quicker and more forced and Yarel moved to support her quickly.

"Are you alright, Ruby? Answer me!" The boy asked as she looked at Ruby's fatigued eyes. Soon, the female regained control of herself as she glanced at her siblings before asking them pleadingly.

"Arial… Orchid? Do you think you think we can do this? Please… answer me honestly so that I might answer myself honestly." She asked while panting slightly. The two children looked at their sister sadly, clearly wondering what to say right now. After a while, Orchid cleared his throat and spoke silently.

"I don't think we know yet. Ruby, we have no right to ask anything of you but at least I think I'd like to see if mommy is still the same one we all knew. I mean, we all make mistakes but we should get over them unless something too bad happened… shouldn't we?" He asked, earning Arial's nod. Ducky looked at the two young fastrunners in astonishment, not expecting to hear such great and deep reasoning from such a young child. Ducky had grown to respect Ruby's intelligence but she hadn't really expected other fastrunners to shar it to this degree.

Ruby slowly calmed down and brought her right hand to her forehead before taking a deep sigh. Of course, she knew that more than well as her entire life didn't seem to be anything more than an endless list of mistakes that had actually ended in true disasters. Because of her, many dinosaurs had even lost their lives whereas her parents hadn't really managed to hurt her in any concrete way. Suddenly, a wave of guilt washed over the fastrunner as she realized just what a sickening hypocrite she had become. In the end, it was she who had clawed her mother's eye from her head whereas she had walked away unharmed. Slowly, her face turned into a slight, forced smile as she bowed to her brother and sister's height and spoke to them softly.

"You've listened well, Orchid and Arial. Far better than I ever did. I've been a complete idiot and you could have said that even more directly because if you had done, I might have realized it far sooner! I have no choice but to go see mommy and ask if she is willing to apologize for what she did." The fastrunner said, earning smiles of surprise from her siblings who nearly couldn't believe what they were hearing. Yes, this was what they had hoped for but they hadn't even dared to dream Ruby would have this kind of change of mind. Orchid cocked his head and started to ask his sister carefully.

"Do you mean… that we're saving her from those sharpteeth and return…" He asked but to this, Ruby shook her head. Yes, she wanted to reconcile with her parents but Orchid was getting far ahead of things.

"Nope, at least not yet. We still don't know what she wanted of us and even if she says she's sorry, we'll have to see what we'll do. But no matter what happens, I don't think there is no return to the life we used to live, not anymore. I just want to speak with her and then see how we'll proceed. Either we'll save her or if she is the monster she was when I last saw her, I won't hesitate to leave her there. Is that clear?" She asked her siblings and her friends and all of them nodded at her in approval. Ruby's heart swelled as she turned to look at the direction Pearl was in. No matter what, she'd soon be forced to face the worst shadows of her past no matter how badly she had wanted to avoid that encounter.

* * *

"If I see you speak with any outsider again, I'll make sure you'll really regret it, bitch! You already caused us enough trouble during the chase and we aren't going to watch anything we deem suspicious from you or your mate." The dark blue fastrunner asked, looking at Pearl in clear annoyance. The latter was beyond worried by the other female's words as she knew these kinds of incidents would only make her future more unsure. Detras had also woken up from the other omnivore's frustrated words but he decided to stay away from this argument at least until he'd learn more about it.

"Understood. I just hope you hadn't attacked me like that for a few words. It isn't like we could escape from here even if we wanted to." She said while crossing her arms. The other dinosaur's expression grew only darker and she took a few steps closer to Pearl. This time, her voice was low as she addressed the other halftooth.

"If you think arguing will make your situation any better, you better think again. Stealth will already most likely get rid of you when all is said and done and if I were in your position, I'd strive for a different kind of attention to change his mind." She said, her words not surprising Pearl in the least. If things went as she hoped, she'd never have to bed Stealth to spare her life but that was still a long time in future. For now, she wanted to ask one different thing from the other fastrunner.

"Tell me, why are you following Stealth even if he clearly doesn't allow any kind of freedom or protection to his allies? I've known many sharpteeth and Stealth really is really one of the most insufferable one and it's clear he couldn't care less about our kind!" She said in a sharp voice, causing the other omnivore step forward in an even more threatening fashion than before. She narrowed her eyes as she answered the other female.

"On that, you are terribly mistaken. In many ways, Stealth gives us more than our fair share when it comes to food and he isn't allowing any of his allies suffer if he can only prevent it. And before you ask, no, I don't believe for a second he cares about any of us as he is a sharptooth after all but at least he knows how to keep his allies loyal to him. But as he already said, you are not his allies and most likely never will be! The thing is, Stealth won't forgive easily those that have harmed him or his amb… Ouch!" Sudden, the omnivore was interrupted as a sizable stone collided with the back of her head. Immediately, she turned around in clear outrage and cried into the darkness.

"Whoever that was, do it again and…" She started but before she got any further, another rock hit her snout, causing a few drops of blood fall into the white ground. The fastrunner wiped the rest of red liquid away with her hand before heading towards the direction where the stones had come from. Yet, she didn't get far before she heard a young male voice cry to her mockingly.

"Well look at that, a grown halftooth that badly triggered by a few rocks! Maybe I should hit you for a third time and then we'll see what you're going to do!" Yarel cried, causing the female's mood to fall further. She couldn't understand what the boy wanted of her as there was no way he hadn't seen her fellow guards and even if we hadn't, such childish games would result in his death very soon. She spoke to the male silently before preparing to turn around.

"Get away from this place now, brat. I don't know what you want but I have no time to play your stupid g…" She spoke but again, her sentence was cut short as another, even larger rock hit her cheek, this time causing more blood flow down her cheek. And to her surprise, it didn't come from the direction of the boy, confirming it hadn't been him in the first place… What in earth…

Suddenly, she felt herself falling into the ground as she felt herself being tackled into the ground by the young boy, something that took her by complete surprise. She was shocked as she felt her head hitting the ground, not having expected such an irrational attack. However, Yarel had managed to grab her hands and immediately, she lout a loud growl, calling the rest of the guards to her help.

* * *

And that was the exact signal Ruby had been waiting for. Ducky's rocks and Yarel's cocky attitude had paved the way for at least a minor distraction for the few guards and if she acted quickly enough, she might just be able to get out quickly enough so that her friends wouldn't get in too much danger. Orchid and Arial would help them if needed but the girl wanted nothing less than for them to risk their lives because of her. She frowned deeply as she headed for the stone wall beyond which her mother was, hoping that her gambit would have a happy ending.

She saw that there were a few more omnivores and one fastbiter heading towards Yarel and Ruby felt stomach starting to feel sicker by the second. Yet, Yarel and Greentail had agreed to this plan and she'd see this through, for better or worse. With one, mighty jump she leaped towards the edge of the wall and to her immediately relief, she felt her fingers getting a tight grip. The fastrunner wasted no time pulling herself to the of the wall… only to face the dinosaur that she had hated from the bottom of her heart for so many days.

The mother and daughter locked eyes immediately, sharing a silent moment in trying to come to terms with the feelings of this reunion. Ruby tried to keep her mind on her earlier thoughts, attempting to remember just why she had decided to give a chance of redemption to her mother but now, it was more than difficult for the young dinosaur. Only the ghost of that fateful lingered within her mind's eye as she looked at her mother's ruined eye. However, before her conscious thoughts got over this haunting situation, Ruby felt herself jump down from the wall… and slap the older fastrunner at her cheek hard and speaking in a low and bitter voice.

"How could you do that? After all what we've gone through together, you still thought it would be best to simply take me out at night and slaughter me like a damned ground fuzzy? And most likely you were here to finish the job before you were caught, is that it?" Ruby felt like someone else was speaking even if the words came from her own mouth.

Pearl, on the other hand, was beyond taken aback by her daughter's greeting as she turned back to look at her. Unlike Ruby, she had been happy to see her daughter again, even more so than she had expected. It was as if a part of her own heart had just healed when her oldest child was again before her, even if she hadn't greeted her in the way she had hoped. Ruby's accusation hurt der deeply even if she knew it was more than justified. She could see tears starting to run down Ruby's cheeks and on that moment, she did the only thing she could. She brought her hand below Ruby's chin and raised her gaze to meet with hers. She then started to speak, sobbing slightly as she tried to do at least something to ease Ruby's justified anger.

"Ruby, my child, listen to me. Y… you know we never wanted it to happen but there is nothing we can do to justify what we did. But time is off the essence and we can go through all of that later on but now, you have to listen to me!" She said, her heart aching for having to talk to Ruby like this after all that had happened. Detras walked next to her mate but decided against saying anything just yet. Ruby looked at him in suspicion but did as was told, knowing that Pearl was not oblivious to what was happening around her.

"Well, say what you have to say before there will be more tragedy caused by your mistakes, "mother"!" The way she emphasized those words made the older female cringe deeply but she knew that tone was more than justified. She acted as if she hadn't even heard what Ruby had just said and continued from where she had left off.

"I don't know what it is that you want of me, Ruby, but I cannot go with you. We could never escape from Stealth tonight and besides, we share the same goal with him for now! He wants to get rid of Chomper's parents and we have to act as his unwilling helpers! That is the best way we could ever live free of their threat." Pearl spoke, causing Ruby to frown deeply. The latter had no way of knowing just what had happened between the sailback and her parents but even then, she was glad for not being forced to decide to leave her parents here because of her own decision. Her expression softened somewhat as she took a more neutral tone, knowing that wasting time by fostering her bitterness would be the worst idea moving forward.

"B… but… why would you have to act like that? I mean he is our ally because we two decided to forge an alliance on that day!" She said, her doubts starting to rise slowly. She hadn't known that her parents were Stealth's prisoners but if she had known that, she wouldn't have even put forward a dangerous plot like this. She was more than torn about how to feel about these news when Detras finally joined the conversation.

"Stealth only did that so that you'd lead him to us… in order for us to end up like this. He carries a grudge against Dein and Terri and that is all he cares about." He said, making Ruby's heart sink immediately. If her father spoke the truth, then this would only be another of her mistakes with horrible consequences. She wasn't sure about whether to believe him but unless he lied, she had done just what the sailback had wanted all along. Her voice was a sickened one as she turned at Pearl, speaking weakly.

"Is… is that…" She started but her voice died down when she saw her mother nod at her sadly. Inside, the girl's self-hate grew tremendously but she'd have time to think of that later. She could hear that Yarel and her siblings were increasingly threatened by Stealth's minions and in this moment, she realized that she had absolutely no right to judge her parents for what they had done.

"Then… what should I do? Tell me how I can help so that none of us has to die because of Stealth! Quickly, I don't have much time!" She said pleadingly, the urgency within her words confirming just how badly the latest revelation had hurt her. Detras wasted no time doing as told and she spoke to his daughter urgently but softly.

"Stealth wishes to judge us after we take down Chomper's parents. Ruby, we have no right to ask anything of you but if you have it in yourself to forgive your foolish father and mother, follow us and when that day of battle comes, do what you can to help us beat those two and if possible, to help us escape Stealth's final decision. But even now, you did well to call him to us as without Stealth, we'd never be able to down Dein and Terri. Do you understand what we ask of you, Ruby?" He said with a smile, causing Ruby to pant slightly as she tried to keep her emotions at bay. Now that she had heard of the miraculous path out of this nightmare, she felt more glad to have given this reunion a chance. She then spoke with moist eyes to both of her parents one more time before taking her escape.

"I do, daddy. I… I just hope you two will survive out here until then. I'm sorry for drawing you into all of this but now that I know what happened out here, there's no way I can blame you for all of this. See you soon again, mommy and daddy. I… still love you two, regardless of what happened." She said as she pulled herself over the wall of rock, not sure how to feel about that reunion but at least, she had at least began the path towards reconciliation with her parents which was far more than she had ever dared to dream about. It still remained to be seen where all of this would eventually lead but it was a question that would be answered by the coming days. Ruby jumped down from the wall and disappeared into the black forest, turning to look behind here one last time.

* * *

However, that scene hadn't stayed as the secret Ruby or her parents had hoped it would be. Even if a fastrunner couldn't see perfectly the darkness, it wasn't the black wall for an eye of a sharptooth. Standing on a large mound overlooking the clearing, Stealth grinned slightly as he looked at Ruby's flight, rather surprised to see her here as she had told the longbeak that she would still be at the Desolate Rise. Well, this was only good news for him as she had very effectively proven her parents would never serve him without hidden motives. He had never thought of sparing them when all was said and done but this conversation had told him that he'd have to get rid of him immediately when they had outlived their usefulness.

Stealth's smile only widened as he thought about everything he had heard. He was beyond amused that the fastrunners thought they'd be able to outsmart him but in the end, both Ruby and her parents would pay the price of his long suffering as well as for their readiness to betray him. Soon enough, he could finally put that chapter below himself and take his place in the Mysterious Beyond. And on that day, he'd…

Suddenly, the sharptooth's thoughts were cut short as his sniffer caught a faint and distant scent that was carried by the night wind. It was a scent he had dreaded for so long and one he had grown to hate more than anything in this world. The expectant look on Stealth's face grew only deeper as he thought of the implications. The scent of dried blood came from probably a day's journey away but the implication was still clear in Stealth's mind. It seemed like his day of reckoning against those who had been so intent to take everything from him was drawing even closer than he had dreamed of.

* * *

 **And with this chapter, Ruby has finally reunited with her parents for the first time since that tragic night but things have hardly become any less threatening. With Stealth's plans for the fastrunners looking far from promising for them and the coming final confrontation with Dein and Terri, the future hardly looks anything but bleak for Ruby and her family… Again, I'll next get to writing another prompt response but this time I'll try to get it done faster than last month. I hope you liked this chapter and see you next time!**

 **OwlsCantRead: Thanks for the review. Now, I might be lying if I said Rhombus' stuff didn't have an effect on my writing as well so that makes sense. And yep, I want to have as many groups of characters and kinds seem morally questionable as I find those kinds of stories more interesting. And yep, Chomper's parents are coming and… well, you'll see.**

 **The Rhombus: Those indeed are key issues that I wanted to open in this story. I didn't want to make any of the herd leaders evil per se but as I mentioned to Owls, I like doing characters whose ambitions or other things make them do extremely questionable things. You're also correct that this might seem like some kind of Game of Thrones and indeed, I wanted to replicate its genre and style to a certain degree.**

 **As for Petrie, he still has a role to play with his old herd but it still remains to be seen where all of this will lead for him. I can only say that his trials are far from complete just yet.**

 **Anagnos: It's absolutely great to see a new reader so thank you a lot for your review, Anagnos! Indeed, Peak is far from the best relative to have as his yearning for revenge has taken a turn for the worse to everyone involved. He's abusing his power over his family, knowing that none of the others will ever question his self-destructive plans. Only Ortin finally had enough of him but it remains to be seen how things will end for those two flyers.**

 **I'm happy to hear that you've found the action scenes getting better as they're something I've never been really excited to write. As for the typos, yeah, it's often difficult to fix every one of them but I'm doing my best to proofread the stuff I write. As for your final thoughts, yep, I'm not letting Ruby and Petrie get off the hook anytime soon and the coming chapters will indeed be challenging for both of them. But again, thanks a lot for the review and that you've read this story this far!**


	39. The Bloody Price of Peace

**The Bloody Price of Peace**

The seconds seemed to creep forward ever so slowly as Lenel looked at the dark opening of the cave not far below him. Somewhere out there was the flyer who had been a thorn on his side for so very, very long and who had tried to take his beloved mate away from him with his cowardly assault. Lenel felt himself struggling to prevent himself from entering the cave already and snuff the life away from that bastard but even then, Lenel knew that he couldn't allow his followers to see him act in such a brash and vulgar way. Even now, he was his herd's leader and he had to keep up his appearances, no matter what.

The male quickly glanced at his companions, glad to see that neither of them seemed to be wavering just moments before the final showdown even if the pale flyer remembered that he'd do well to never forget to keep an eye on them as it was still likely that one of his deputies wasn't as loyal to him as it seemed. Lenel again looked at Haste briefly, wondering whether he could see any threatening gestures from the female as even now, she bore the majority of his suspicions but to his slight relief, he could see no trace of ill intentions within her.

Lenel sighed slightly as he turned to look back at the cave, knowing that right now, Peak was the one he'd have to worry about. He knew that his foe was in that cave and the orange flyer would almost certainly answer to his challenge as Peak was more often than not a ruthless and merciless foe but he would never shame himself or his family by trying to escape from a direct challenge. Yet, Lenel was still more than concerned as he couldn't believe he had just yet seen all the tricks within his enemy's disposal…

* * *

A slight but crazed grin rose to Peak's beak as he headed towards the cave's opening, the weight of the situation hanging heavily over the once-proud leader's mind. He knew he had lost and that his brother and deputies were dead but none of that seemed to matter to him anymore. For so many nights, he had only seen Lenel's smug face haunt his sleep stories and he was the one dinosaur who had brought all of this sorrow and regret to him.

He had already cast aside all hopes of ever regaining his family's former glory and even the slightest chance that that would ever happen had died with Bluegust. Peak was still severely injured by his last fight with Lenel and even worse, nearly blind from his nemesis' attack. He would never be able to overpower Lenel in a fair fight but luckily, that wouldn't be necessary.

A slight chuckle arose from Peak's beak as he looked at the oddly-colored forms of his claws, hitting two of them together in expectation. Yes, the poison he had painted his claws with would bring him the final absolution he'd need within this world. He would only have to sink them only once into Lenel's flesh and the flyer who had brought so much sorrow to him would follow him into the reaches of the Great Beyond. That one thought seemed to make up the fact that this would be his and his family's last day because the singular dream of revenge was sweeter for the flyer than anything else.

Peak narrowed his eyes slightly as the pale rays of the Bright Circle started to invade the dark tunnel, overwhelming Peak's damaged eyes momentarily. Even then, his final moment of glory was drawing closer and he even smiled as he saw Lenel's form not far above him, accompanied by his two remaining deputies. The orange flyer waited for a few moments before he broke the silence, calling to the other leader with a voice filled with bitterness and rage.

"So, you had the courage to come face me yourself? I hadn't even dared to hope of such a thing when you attacked and killed my herd in their sleep, you cursed treacherous ground crawler!"

* * *

Petrie cringed slightly as he heard those words, knowing how that scene would continue. He had zero will to witness or even listen to further bloodshed and he knew that Glide had similar sentiments. But even then, the coming fight would mean that the three young flyers would have a chance to flee this cave and escape before anyone would find them out here. He turned to look at Ortin and Glide and spoke to them in an urgent voice.

"We have to get away from here as quick as possible! Petrie think me know a good place where we could h…" He started but before he could finish, Ortin cut him short with an annoyed voice.

"Since when do you think you can tell me what to do, liar? The way I remember it, we didn't part as friends and even worse, it was your uncle who helped Lenel attack my family!" He said, looking at Petrie in disgust. He had always known of Petrie's uncle's position as one of Lenel's most trusted and after the battle, his disgust at Pterano had skyrocketed. And during the days since that fateful night she couldn't help but think about the times he had been friends with the nephew of that bastard.

Petrie, on the other hand, was beyond stunned by those words. Had Ortin actually just said those very words? He knew the two hadn't parted in good terms but… considering Glide's change of mind, the boy had hoped that Ortin would forgive him as well. And now that Ortin brought it up, Petrie felt himself suddenly boiling from one fact he hadn't even thought of before. His voice rose immediately and he heard himself cry to the other flyer in outrage.

"And someone n your herd killed uncle Pterano, Ortin and still you blame Petrie?! Maybe it would be best if me hadn't…" He started, surprising even himself by his sudden wave of anger but before he could finish, he heard an equally annoyed voice snap him short mercilessly.

"Silence, Petrie! We don't need any more fighting here! Ortin, just cut it. Petrie has been a far better flyer than most of those within our herd by a large margin. He even beat Hoist in a one-on-one fight, something none of us has done before! I have been more than ready to forgive him and so should you!" The girl said as she stared at Ortin's stunned eyes. Glide would have wanted to reunite with her old friend in a far different manner but if Ortin wanted to be like this, then so be it! She'd make him see sense or force him to see it! Ortin's expression eased slightly as he asked the female in a lower but still as toxic voice.

"So you forgave him for simply beating someone? Hoist is a complete idiot but that still doesn't change what Petrie did to us. And besides, his uncle…" Ortin started but again, Glide saw absolutely no worth in allowing him to finish the sentence. She didn't want the situation to grow any more hostile and she knew that the best way to do that was to take control of the situation and once for all.

"And his uncle didn't act on Petrie's behalf! You heard what Petrie said and he has just as much reason to hate you. But you know what, Ortin? Neither you nor Petrie is to blame for what happened. So you two might just as well forget it because I know neither of you wanted any of this to happen!" She spoke, this time also looking at Petrie sharply. She crossed her arms, not about to drop this conversation before at least some kind of truce would be established between her two friends. Petrie was just about to speak but it soon became clear that his words died down within his throat. His face softened slowly as he realized that Glide spoke the truth. Besides, if he wanted to ever get any answers of the Land of Dancing Waters from Ortin, he'd have to calm down, no matter how much he would have wanted to continue his assault on his former friend.

"Ortin… she right. Petrie liked you once and no matter how much me miss uncle Pterano, it not you who kill him. Me willing to apologize on uncle Pterano's behalf if… if you do the same." He offered, his chest feeling like it would burst from a sense of injustice. Yet, he knew that what he was doing was the best outcome for everyone and that knowledge was right now more precious to him than his irrational emotions.

A suspicious look rose to Ortin's face as he looked at Petrie who was slowly offering his hand to the other boy. At first, he was about to just cast it aside but he just couldn't shake off Glide's judging face from his mind. He wanted so badly to earn back her friendship but… but he couldn't just apologize for what her family had done by himself! He carried the position of being one of Warekli's children with pride and he knew he was far better than treacherous piece of crap! Even if he could forgive the other male's lies, he'd never apologize for his family's…

Suddenly, he felt his entire line of thinking break apart. He had just freaking ran away from the head of his family after realizing just how crazy he was and how foolish it would be to throw away everything he had simply in order to please Peak who quite clearly didn't care about anyone else anymore. Would he really be willing to risk his rapprochement with his oldest and best friend simply to defend someone who was more than willing to kill him if need be? And besides, he was starting to realize just how petty he had to sound and really, he'd never be able to prove his superiority over Petrie by acting as some spoiled brat! Ortin crossed his arms and looked at Glide with an angered but calm expression.

"Very well, Glide. Petrie can stay but he better not make too big a number of himself. I've had enough of that already." Ortin said as he glanced at the other boy who clearly took offense of Ortin's words. At first, Petrie wanted to confront the other flyer but inside, the knowledge that Ortin could be his key to finding his old friends was the one thought that kept his emotions down. He frowned slightly before he spoke again while spreading his wings.

"If you say so, Ortin. But let's get away from here! Petrie fear things will go from bad to worse!" He said, listening to the growing cries from both Peak and Lenel not far away from him. He was far from willing to be close to that duo when the inevitable conflict would start again. However, he was almost immediately stopped on his heels when he heard Ortin speak again in a frigid voice.

"We're not going anywhere, Petrie. I want to be here in order to help my grandma survive no matter what happens. She needs my help and I'm going to give it to her!" He said, immediately earning another look of anger from Petrie but it was Glide who answered to her old friend. Her voice was more compassionate than before but she didn't make her displeasure at his words unclear.

"Ortin… I'm so sorry but there's nothing we can do for any of them. If I know anything, they are willing to follow Peak no matter what… and we both know who the winner will be. By the way, why aren't you with them?" Glide asked in a mixture of genuine curiosity and a hidden sense of what the answer would most likely be. Ortin was about to give a quick answer when he suddenly realized the implications of the girl's words. It was true she had decided to stand with Peak until the end but… but certainly he could convince her to leave with him!

"That doesn't matter, Glide! She just doesn't know that she wants to come with me yet! She's just confus…" He started but before got further, Glide caught his hands and looked deep in his eyes. Ortin felt like his entire world stopped when he saw the dead serious and pleading look on the girl's face. It was as if something within those orbs spoke directly to his heart, reminding him of where he really was. It… it was all true. No matter how badly he wanted to believe otherwise, his grandmother wouldn't leave Peak's side… even if the orange male allowed it. Ortin suddenly felt warm tears starting to flow down his cheeks as his entire body started to shake in despair. He only now realized just how terribly the whole nightmare was affecting him but he couldn't go on lying to himself in front of his closest friend. Deep down, he knew his grandmother had already made his choice and that realization hurt far more than the boy could ever have thought. Those sentiments only grew worse as he heard Glide speak to him.

"You know what we have to do, Ortin. Let's go." She merely said, seeing that Ortin agreed with her even if he didn't want to admit it. She knew the boy well enough and she could see that despite their brief separation, he was still the same flyer she had known all her life. Ortin swept most of his tears away with his hand as he spoke to Glide, even giving an expression that even looked apologetic to Petrie, something that wasn't lost on the latter.

"You're right, Glide. I can only pray that she makes the right decision before it's too late but it's clear that at least I can't change her mind. Now, let's get out of this…" He started but before he could finish his sentence, the entire cave started to shake heavily. Ortin looked around himself in clear shock before he realized where the shaking was coming from. He turned to look at the cave's mouth only to see heavy boulders falling down into the floor, hiding more and more of the white sky that could be seen even from deep within the tunnel. Petrie looked at that sight in horror, knowing just what all of that meant. However, he wasn't about to give up just yet and he wasted no time starting to run towards the pile of large rocks.

"Glide, Ortin, help me open the way! This is our only chance that doesn't go through Peak and Lenel's fight to get out of here!" He cried as started to clear some of the smaller debris around the larger rocks, hoping that the collapse hadn't buried them inside the cave for good. However, a slight smile rose to his face as he saw both of his companions starting to help him without second thoughts. Maybe there was still hope for his friendship with Ortin, a thought that made Petrie feel happier than in a long time.

* * *

The orange flyer's words were far from a surprise to Lenel even if their hypocrisy still angered him without an end. Yes, his original coup hadn't been the most honorable one but Peak had cast aside all of his rights to attack him over that night today. Inside, the pale flyer wasn't even sure what he thought he'd gain by arguing with Peak here but he was determined to uphold his own code of honor here by giving Peak a clean and unhumiliating death.

"Considering that you did the same to me today, I'm not going to lose any of my sleep over what I did, Peak. At the very least I bested your brother in fair combat, a far cry from the cowardly assassination you had ordered upon Sireia!" Lenel said, knowing that his point was entirely valid. He had even received some kind of acknowledgement from Bluegust but Peak's murders wouldn't have given Sireia a similar chance. Inside, Lenel knew he didn't have a lot to brag about his methods but Peak had managed to launch an even more cowardly attack. The latter looked at Lenel with a slightly amused look on his face before he gave his answer in a low, trembling voice.

"About that, you have only yourself to blame, Lenel. After all, who was it who slaughtered most of my herd in the dark of the night after which you told your lies to the rest of them? Now, Lenel, you know as well as I do that a direct attack would have been a suicide mission and I simply couldn't challenge you alone because… well, because you nearly ruined my eyes and bled me to death only a few days ago! My only hope was to take out your mate and your deputies first but to my greatest regret, it seems like my last allies failed miserably. I guess congratulations are in order for repelling my last efforts." Peak said as he started to applaud mockingly. It was clear that he was only doubling down on the reasoning his strategy but Lenel wasn't about to play any more of his games. He frowned at Peak's mocking behavior and wasted to time answering to his smears.

"In any case, you have lost once and for all and in the process, you have also managed to stain Warekli's honorable name with your treachery. If you want to at least save the reputation of your line, bow before me and I will take your life gracefully and even hold a speech exonerating you from your worst acts of cowardice. This I promise by my right as the leader of the herd we built together!" Lenel said in a steady and calm voice, hoping to get over this issue as fast as possible. He doubted Peak would simply accept his proposal even if he wasn't quite sure how exactly the other male would even expect to survive this encounter. Lenel's spirits fell even further as a smile rose again to Peak's face.

"Save the reputation of my line? Oh, Lenel, I hadn't thought I'd hear that even from someone like you as I really doubt there is too much left of Olres' name anymore either. That being said, I'd gladly face my judgement from the hands of someone as dishonorable as myself. Come then, Lenel, and claim your reward!" Peak cried, causing the pale flyer's eyes to widen immediately. Had Peak actually said what he thought? There was no way his old nemesis would simply lay down his life to his old enemy, no matter how desperate his situation was. This wasn't the Peak he knew and he wouldn't take whatever bait Peak was lying before him.

"What are you planning, Peak? I know you wouldn't simply surrender to me, not after everything you've done." Lenel simply said, wondering what kind of answer he'd receive. He could see similar looks of puzzlement from Haste and Northwind even if neither of them were willing to interrupt the conversation of the two leaders. Peak looked at the other male for a few seconds before he abruptly started to laugh deeply, causing Lenel to frown even more.

"What am I planning? You already saw my plan and you yourself ordered me to surrender and when I do so, you think I am up to something? I must say, I've heard many stupid things from your beak but this certainly nears the top! Act before I change my mind!" Peak suddenly finished with a far more serious expression. It was even a commanding one and no matter how bad feelings he had of this all, he knew he couldn't go on arguing about this point without looking like a complete fool. He slowly turned at his two deputies and spoke to them silently in a clearly worried tone.

"Make sure that no one else is going to surprise me. Be vigilant as I don't trust that murderer in the least." He said, not really expecting any kinds of objections from the two. He then nodded at Peak, signaling that he was about to do as told. He slowly started to lose altitude as he prepared to land near the mouth of the cave to complete his task.

It was a heavy ordeal for Peak to hide his excitement about what was to follow. He hid his claws behind his back, trying to keep the thought of sinking them into Lenel's flesh and to see the pale flyer head into the Great Beyond with him. His revenge was so very close he could already smell it! All thoughts about the fate of his family was long gone from his mind, the fate of his own children mattering none to the near-crazed flyer. His position within the herd had mattered everything to him and without that power, nothing had any worth to him. Peak knew his ancestors would understand the value of having his revenge and his family would most likely do so in the next life.

Peak looked at his counterpart expectantly as he landed before him, the two locking eyes for a few moments as if to assess each other's sentiments in this critical moment. Peak could only see deep disgust and uncertainty deep within Lenel's eyes whereas the latter couldn't read anything about Peak's real thoughts about this meeting. Even then, he knew this was his chance to get rid of Peak once and for all and in the name of the Bright Circle, he'd take that chance! Lenel crossed his arms and spoke to Peak in a voice that resembled a growl more than normal speech.

"Kneel and I will get on with it." He simply said, causing Peak to grin one more time before doing as he was told. He slowly fell to his knees, even dropping to all fours while carefully looking at Lenel. The pale flyer nodded at his former fellow leader with a somber look before speaking to him in a low voice.

"May your final flight be a calm one, Peak. Farewell." He said as he raised his hand to open the major arteries on the flyer's neck with one coup de grace. However, just as he was about to give that one blow, Peak knew that his time had finally come. He quickly turned at Lenel and without any thinking, he charged towards Lenel but before he could hit the other flyer, Lenel jumped into air and even managed to scratch his enemy in the shoulder before fleeing from his path once and for all. Lenel looked at Peak in a relieved even if joyless expression.

"I didn't think for a moment you could be trusted, Peak. I don't have any idea what kind of madness would make you think like you could ever again stand in my path but know this: your time for repentance came and went and now, I'll make sure an ugly and despised memory will be the final heritage of Warekli's line!" Lenel said, causing Peak to curse internally. He had missed his first chance and once again, Lenel had been one step ahead of him, a fact that was starting to haunt Peak's mind more severely by the second. However, even now he had his secret weapon and no matter what, he'd deliver that one scratch into Lenel's flesh, no matter what. The orange flyer cringed and dodged Lenel's first attack before turning to look at his enemy and crying to him in a vitriolic voice.

"I don't care about anything that you threaten to do anymore but I'll be damned in front of the eyes of my ancestors if you'll be able to spread those lies yourself! Your reign of terror comes to and today, monster!" Peak cried as he charged toward Lenel who didn't hesitate to use the advantage granted to him by his better eye sight by quickly jumping into the air and preparing for another attack against his foe. However, Peak had a far different idea about how the battle would proceed from now on.

Throwing away every rule of battle, Peak followed Lenel in a highly disadvantageous position and aimed his poisoned claw at Lenel's thigh but the pale flyer was more than determined not to allow his cursed enemy cause any damage to him without a good reason and he quickly turned around, determined to show Peak the depth of his mistake. The pale flyer quickly turned around in order to turn the gravity itself into Peak's foe. Speeded up by his momentum, Lenel grabbed Peak's hand and forced him to halt his own course, determined to force the other flyer into the ground and finally crush him there.

Peak realized that his situation was deteriorating by the second but he knew he still had a very decent chance to fulfill his goal in this fight. With herculean efforts, Peak tried to force himself from below Lenel in order to prevent himself from being utterly crushed by the upcoming impact. Lenel knew that the fight started to seem far too easy but for now, he was willing to simply think that Peak was far too desperate to even plan clearly. His eyes were locked on the quickly approaching ground, determined to keep Peak in the position he was now… until Peak managed to save himself in the last moment possible.

With one last, powerful effort Peak managed to kick Lenel out of his commanding position and prevent himself from being complete smashed when he finally hit the ground. However, his earlier injuries made that impact all the more hurtful and even if he wanted to ignore that fact, he'd soon lose this fight once and for all due to his accumulating wounds. Peak concentrated all of his strength into trying to overpower his opponent… only to realize that he simply couldn't do that anymore. He was getting far too weak and he would fall soon enough before the other flyer's relentless assault. Knowing that he had only one chance left to turn his revenge into reality, Peak did something his opponent found unthinkable. He suddenly pulled his hands from holding back Lenel's which opened his entire neck open for any attack. However, that final maneuver allowed Peak one chance to scratch Lenel's sides and to ensure this to be his final day as well… The orange flyer hardly noticed anything else but the sight of his claws sinking into Lenel's flesh and in that moment, he realized his work was complete.

Lenel, however, couldn't believe his luck. For some unknown reason, his opponent had given up his defenses completely, allowing him to end this fight once and for all. He didn't even notice Peak's seemingly harmless wound and he was preparing to deliver the final blow… until he heard a terrified cry from Northwind.

"Lenel, look out! Another flyer is coming your way!" The deputy cried, causing Lenel to curse deeply. The last thing he wanted was to have another fight after getting rid of his old enemy but that mattered little now. He wasn't going to let Peak out of this mess, no matter what. He raised his claws again to end it once and for all… before he noticed he was too late.

In less than a second, a shadow fell upon the two flyers and before Lenel even knew what was happening, a familiar flyer landed just behind Peak… and sliced his throat wide open before Lenel could even move a finger to prevent him. The newcomer then whispered to the quickly fading Peak in a triumphant voice.

"I promised you you wouldn't be able to run forever, Peak. May this be the payment of everything you once forced me through!" He said, causing Peak's eyes to flash open last time. It was a gigantic effort for him to turn to look at his killer one last time but even if he was far from happy to see him, Peak's voice was a content one as he spoke.

"You were too late… Deron. I already did what I wanted… It's just a shame… that I never were able to repay you… for what you d…" Those were the only things that the once-proud leader could say before he fell into the ground, the last vestiges of life departing from his body swiftly. The flyer who had once brought so much hope and safety to those following him had embarked on his final journey in a way very few would have said he'd deserve. Lenel looked at his dead enemy while panting heavily, realizing the implications of what had happened. He had defeated his most bitter foe and in the process, secured himself from another threat.

And even more somberly, Lenel realized that he was now the last surviving leader of the old united herd. Some part within Lenel still felt terrible guilt for having been forced to go through that as for a long time, that union between the four leaders had been Lenel's pride. Even now, there were moments when he would have wanted to return to those days… but there was no changing that. Now he alone would be responsible for fulfilling his destiny and now he had the chance to prove himself to be his line's best, only second to Olres himself. Peak had been a fool and a murderer all along and his departure would only be a blessing to all of the flyers.

However, the pale flyer's moment of reflection was cut short as his gaze turned at the other flyer before himself. He felt his heart starting to beat faster in rage as he looked at Deron's smug expression, more than upset by what his opponent had done. He had never met Nimble's killer before and inside, he would have wanted to make the other male follow Peak into the Great Beyond for starting these days of endless fighting and bloodshed with his attack. However, there was no reason for brash decisions and he spoke to the other leader in a trembling voice.

"So we meet at long last, Deron. I trust you understand that you had no right in the least to prevent me from killing my old enemy myself." He said, narrowing his eyes as Deron started walking towards him slowly. Lenel didn't like his antics in the least and to his increasing concern, the area around the only wound caused by Peak was starting to ache increasingly severely. Deron crossed his arms behind his back as he answered Lenel's words.

"That might be, my good Lenel, but I assure you that I have far more reason to despise him than you do and thus I took the liberty of ending his wicked life myself. I'm sorry I had to hurt your interests in the process but I'd do it gladly again in order to kill that bastard." He said, knowing that there was very little that Lenel could say or do anymore. Deron knew he had all the cards in this conversation that his counterpart didn't even want to have in the first place.

Lenel, on the other hand, was beyond puzzled and outraged by the other flyer's words. Who did he think he was, simply coming here to act like he was some great flyer of legend? The pale flyer knew he couldn't argue about Peak but he had another thing in his mind that he knew was far more important than some stupid feud about who had the truest right to take Peak's life. Lenel took a more confrontational look as he spoke again to Deron.

"Tell me one reason why I shouldn't kill you here and now for what you did to Nimble. Your little attack caused us many internal fights and I lost dozens of good flyers because of what you did!" Lenel raised his voice considerably while he started to feel a certain amount of vertigo starting to make itself known inside his head. Even his stomach started to feel sicker by the second but he managed to hide that from his counterpart… for now.

"And everything went the way I had hoped. Your fights tore your herd apart which of course made it easier for me to have my revenge against Peak for ruining my original herd and doing his all to prevent me from forming another one. I guess apologies are in order as I never had anything against you nor Nimble." He said somewhat genuinely as he did something that made Lenel even more puzzled. Deron knelt besides Peak's lifeless body and raised his as if to investigate something about it. However, that answer hardly made Lenel feel any easier and it was starting to be a real struggle to prevent himself from engaging the shameless bastard.

"And I promised to my herd that you'd pay for that attack! I couldn't care less about your and Peak's past. I only care about all the sorrow and tragedy you've caused me and my herd." He said, wondering what kind of answer he'd receive next. A few seconds of silence followed after which Deron slowly rose back to his full height and turned back at Lenel. His voice was a mockingly heavy one and he spread his arms as he taunted the pale flyer.

"Well, if you want to do it so bad, then attack me and we'll see who'll prevail. However, look at things my way also, Lenel. If you do just that, that will lead only to a major battle between our entire herds. It has been quite easy to hide my followers among all the flyers gathered in these Hills and I've been forced to notice my herd is larger than yours now that you've managed to slaughter nearly half of your followers. But in the case you managed to win, I wouldn't be able to save your life. Say, you must be feeling pretty miserable already, no?" He suddenly suggested, causing Lenel's frown to deepen considerably. That was true but how could Deron know anything about it? Inside, Lenel heart started to beat faster as he realized something was terribly wrong.

"Wh… what are you talking about? Explain, now!" He demanded, slowly starting to float sickening thoughts within his mind as he felt the pain within his body starting to worsen by the second. Deron gave his fellow leader a brief snort as he nodded at the small scratch in the lighter-colored flyer's chest.

"I saw from the beginning that something was wrong with you and as I looked at Peak's claws, I could see just what. That old fool had painted his claws with a substance called Sneaking End. It is received from a plant that grows far to our south, where I was born and I don't even want to guess how Peak got some of it to his own use. But my main point is, that poison will probably kill you in a day or two." Deron said with a slight smirk. Lenel felt his heart jumping into his throat as he heard those words even if he wanted to hide his shock. He… he simply couldn't afford to die here now that his lifelong dream was within his grasp! He snapped at the other flyer even if the pain within his chest and stomach confirmed the horrible truth.

"You're lying, Deron. You have no idea about what happened." He said, fighting against the increasingly powerful urge to fall to his knees in pain. The other flyer shook his head slowly before addressing the other flyer again.

"I don't know who you are lying to, Lenel, and truthfully, I don't care. I only wanted you to know that some healers within my herd might just be able to treat your injury so that you might be able to live another day. I'd consider that as a fair price for you to drop your hostility towards me and my herd due to our accident with Nimble, don't you think?" He asked, causing an increasingly strong rage grow within Lenel. This upstart was treating him like a helpless hatchling which infuriated him without an end. Yet, even worse was his inability to do anything about it and inside, he knew that Deron was his only hope to live through all this. He cringed in pain as he spoke to the younger flyer.

"And why would I believe these "healers" aren't going to kill me when I'm most vulnerable? What is all of this up to you, Deron?! Answer me and no more games!" Lenel said, knowing that even in a situation like this, he simply couldn't make stupid decisions. For all he knew, the darker-colored flyer could be lying and Peak's poison could be less dangerous than he claimed. The other leader narrowed his eyes as he turned to look at the white skies.

"A better question would be what killing you would be up to me, Lenel. I have absolutely no claim to your herd and as I said earlier, I only wanted to get rid of Peak and I have absolutely no ill will towards you, Olres' heir. I only want to end one cycle of hatred when it is still possible. We could even have a fruitful alliance in the coming seasons." He said calmly, not a hint of hidden motives within his voice. Lenel looked at him for a short time, deciding that Deron's explanation was believable enough. After all, no sensible leader would start long-time feuds without any good reason and lending his healers' aid didn't really cost the younger male too much. However, there was still one thing to be said before Lenel was ready to accept his counterpart's offer.

"My herd will never forgive you for killing Nimble. Each of them will yearn for your head as long as they live." He said, knowing that neither would he forgive the other flyer for his attack but right now, survival was the utmost thing within his mind. Deron looked at the nearly-white flyer in slight disappointment. He then brought his hand to his forehead and again shook his head slightly. Lenel wasn't sure how severely exaggerated that gesture really was but he didn't even really care right now.

"That's unfortunate, Lenel. However, I am still more than ready to even agree to some tentative peace with your herd if that suits your aims better. Do we have a deal?" Deron said as he turned to look Lenel in the eyes. The pale flyer knew he'd never agree to these terms in an ordinary situation because if rumors of his deal with Nimble's killer would spread among his supporters, there would really be severe consequences. Besides, Lenel wasn't sure if his sorry state had been somehow arranged by the other flyer as his offer of help seemed a bit too convenient. But if that was the case, Lenel simply couldn't help but admire his counterpart's intelligence. He smiled slightly as he gave his answer to the other dinosaur.

"We do, Deron. But before we'll get to fulfilling our pact, I want to finish one task before that window of opportunity will be lost for good. If even one of Peak's family lives, I'll never be safe from their efforts to avenge that villain." He said, turning to look at the cave with weary eyes while calling at his deputies to help him. He knew this would be a mere formality as every flyer capable of fighting would have been utilized in the battle itself. Lenel knew his opponents would be nothing more than children and elderly but that meant nothing to the seasoned leader. Sometimes one would have to do distasteful feats in order to guarantee his future and sparing any of Peak's family would simply be too risky. Deron nodded at the other leader briefly while speaking to him seemingly absentmindedly.

"Be my guest. I already blocked the only other exit from the cave in order to make sure Peak wouldn't live until dusk so you cannot fail. I can wait for a while longer." He said while glancing at his deputies who were following the events from the upper cliffs. Lenel knew he didn't have a lot of time to see his bloody task through and he quickly called at his two deputies to his side. He did his best to hide the pain within his voice as he addressed them in a slow voice.

"Let's finish this. But no matter what you do, don't tell about what you saw to anyone. If anyone asks, Deron will still be our enemy and if any of you says otherwise, I'll make sure you'll regret it until the end. Is that clear?" The pale flyer asked, receiving quick nods from the two other dinosaurs. Lenel then sighed quickly, heading towards the cave with only one intent: to make sure none of its denizens would ever haunt him again.

* * *

"Only a little further! I think we get through this soon enough!" Petrie cried as he threw another rock aside into the quickly growing pile of debris the three children had removed from the collapse. There was no telling just how much of it was left between the three friends and freedom but Petrie had always been one to at least attempt to keep one's spirits high. However, he soon learned that his companions didn't see things in as positive light.

"Just stop such foolish hopes and save that energy for digging, Petrie! We don't have a lot of time!" Glide cried in growing desperation, more than aware of the raging fight outside the cave. She had no idea what would happen after it had ended but by that point, she'd much rather be somewhere far away. Ortin continued without any pause.

"And after we're out of it, either Peak or Lenel will come to get us! So, don't waste time and… do you hear that?" He asked, suddenly turning to look into the darkness. Glide immediately turned at the boy and snapped at him in annoyance.

"Hear what, Ortin? You just said that…" She started but Ortin interrupted her very quickly. A growing fear was rising within him as he spoke in a haunted voice.

"I hear nothing, Glide. And that means… that the battle has to be over. I just wonder how long it has actually been this silent already." He said, starting to shiver slightly. He knew that in his condition Peak simply had no way of winning against practically anyone… which meant that the orange flyer… the head of his family for his entire life… was gone. The boy shuddered heavily as a cold breath of wind dash through the cave, making the child feel as if the fallen flyer's spirit had just flown through him. But due to the older flyer's recent deeds, he felt no sorrow, no regret… only emptiness and fear about what would happen next. However, his moment of reflection was stopped as Petrie quickly cried to him in growing alarm.

"Then we have even less time to spare! Ortin, help us!" The brown-colored boy cried but to his growing horror and annoyance, Ortin didn't seem to hear what he was saying. His entire mind was focused on what would soon happen to his grandmother and the rest of his family. The struggle was over and deep down, he still remembered everything that Peak and his father had told him about the importance of one's family and he was growing increasingly alarmed about what would soon happen.

"Ortin, we need you! Now, just forget it and helps us!" Glide cried as she looked at Ortin who looked like he was under some kind of evil spell. She knew as well as her friend about what was at stake here and she had always regarded her friend as a strong-willed flyer and to see him act like this bothered her immensely. However, after a few moments Ortin turned around and looked at the duo in clear fear. His voice was a meek one as he answered his two companions.

"I know, I know. It's just that…"

Suddenly a cry of horror filled the cave and at that moment, Ortin knew that it had begun. He couldn't even begin to think rationally before he realized that it was now or never. If Peak was gone, then there was some chance he could save at least some of his family from the coming doom. At this moment, it mattered little how exactly they would escape from this place but she cared only about saving his grandmother from this terrifying situation. Without further hesitation, the flyer rose to his wings and headed towards the cry with the pleads of his friends tightly shut out of his mind.

* * *

"Do what you wish, monster, but we will not bow to your cursed schemes. We will not sell our pride to you nor your deputies!" An elderly female voice cried to Lenel as the former cut down the third child with one, decisive blow. There was not even one trace of regret within Lenel's eye as he turned at the other flyer, speaking to her in clear disgust.

"Nor would I even accept any of you into my ranks anymore. I'm capable of forgiving many things but treachery isn't one of them. Besides, I'd never be able to trust you that your loyalty wouldn't still lie with Peak. So keep your pathetic words to yourself." Lenel said as he ignored a cry of pain from another dead child. The old female's expression didn't even twitch at Lenel's words and she crossed her arms in defiance.

"Then do what you want, Lenel, but know that the truth about this day will spread sooner or later! We will prevail in th…" She said before a desperate sob of another child drowned the older flyer's voice under itself. A young boy suddenly fell to his knees in front of Lenel, clearly broken by the ghastly scene around him. Lenel hardly even understood him through his tears but the pale flyer still stopped to hear him out to the surprise of his deputies.

"Please, just… just stop this! I… I and my brothers and sisters will do anything for you, Lenel!. J… just spare the rest of us! Please… I… I ask you…" He said before his voice died down under his sobs. As he witnessed that hapless sight, for the first time today, a slight thought of remorse awoke within Lenel. This child had most likely not asked for any of this and he had probably just followed his family's lead as any young flyer would have done… only to find himself in this kind of nightmare. The higher-ranked flyer couldn't help but realize how very wrong all of this was but that didn't change the situation they were in. The scene was quickly cut short by Ortin's grandmother's angered cry.

"Highwing, stop that, now! We cannot bow before that murderer, not now, not ever, no matter what!" She cried but clearly to no avail as the boy didn't show any signs he had even heard those words. Haste glanced at Lenel and asked him carefully.

"Can I take care of that brat, my leader? I'll make it quick." She asked, more than puzzled by Lenel's sudden change of mind. However, Lenel quickly woke up from his thoughts and spoke absentmindedly to the female.

"No, no, no. I'll handle this one." He said as he slowly knelt in front of the weeping child, remembering just mow much he hated situations like these. Even when it seemed like everybody was out to stop him doing what was right, there always appeared one tiny spark of light, one tiny spark of innocence that had to be cast away in the face of the merciless reality. Lenel knew very well about the monstrosity of his act but sometimes one had to make sacrifices if he wanted to walk the path of righteousness until the very end.

"I'd gladly do that, Highwing, was it, but alas, that is not possible. I know you were there not to blame for anything that happened today and you nor your siblings deserved any of this. I am more than sorry I had to put you through all of this, so very sorry. But do you know something?" Lenel asked softly, taking a short pause to hear if he'd receive any answer. The boy looked at him with wide eyes, not able to utter one sound from his beak. The older flyer sighed slightly, trying to keep the rising pain within his body still for a moment longer. This child would hear the truth before the end that and that was more important than his own agony. The higher-ranked flyer continued in a kind voice while his deputies continued their bloody work, a contrast that would have made any witness cringe in disgust.

"But you are still one of Warekli's heirs and one beautiful day, one of your brothers or sisters would decide to take up Peak's mantle again and most likely avenge to me what happened today. Now, hush, I know that better than you most likely even know. But that's the whole truth and that is why I can't let any of you escape this cave. I'm so sorr…" He said but just as he was about to give the final blow, Lenel felt himself be tackled into the ground, a development he didn't expect. He heard an enraged voice cry to him as he tried to struggle back to his feet.

"It is you who will die here, child murderer! You must not hurt any other flyer with your lies and treachery ever again! This one's for each of the dear children you've killed, Lenel!" The elderly female cried as she tried to crush Lenel's throat with a quick blow. However, the seasons had taken their toll and the pale flyer was able to stop the older dinosaur's attack practically in its tracks. Lenel panted deeply as he slowly forced the greyish flyer's attack back and he cringed deeply as he took a hold on her head and forced it slowly downwards, finally able to press it against the ground. Lenel breathed deeply due to the shock and the increasingly unbearable effect of Peak's poison.

"As I said, I'm sorry for that but I doubt your precious Peak didn't have any extra blood within his hands either. That is how our world has always worked and will work after both of us have become one with the earth! This is just my little payback for your brainless following of Peak!" Lenel cried as he pushed the female's head tighter into the ground, smiling at her desperate twitching. However, he had never enjoyed torturing those weaker than him and with one, swift blow he dropped his foot right at the female's spine which broke down under the male's strength. One, final cry escaped the dying flyer's mouth as she departed this world. However, that scene was soon broken by a loud cry from deeper in the tunnel.

"Grandma, get up while you still can! Don't let that… Grandma, no!"

* * *

Ortin's eyes grew wide with horror as he saw the sight before himself he had feared the most. He had flown with all his might in the darkness, hoping there was still he could do. Each and every second seemed to last for an eternity as the dark tunnel went on, the fears about what he'd find at its end. The boy had wanted so very badly to believe he wasn't too late even if he knew there was very little he could do even if he reached the scene of the bloodbath in time.

And when it finally came to his view, the child saw only his dying grandmother falling into the ground, turning to look at him with her last strength. Around her lied the lifeless carcasses of Peak's sons and daughters, each of them ripped open in a gruesome way It was a scene from every dinosaur's bad sleep stories and immediately Ortin felt tears starting to swell within his eyes. This simply couldn't be true! Even if he had momentarily accepted his grandmother's loyalty to Peak, he had still tried to hope he could somehow… in some way she could be saved. But now, when she lied dead before Ortin, the boy only realized what he had lost. The only member of his family who had ever cared for him aside from his beloved father.

And in the center of the carnage stood the flyer whom he had learned to hate more than anything else. The form of the same flyer who had betrayed his close allies by attacking his herd in the dark of the night, the same flyer who had caused Peak's descent into madness and who his grandmother had told him had ordered the murder of his father loomed before the boy like some kind of evil spirit, only yearning to cause more death and sorrow around him. Ortin felt his sorrow starting to fuse with rage as he looked at his grandmother's lightless but pleading eyes, wanting nothing more than to bring at least some justice to this cursed bastard.

"You… you'll pay for this, Lenel! I'll make sure you'll not get away…" Ortin started but as he started to fly towards Lenel, he suddenly felt his speed dying down as he felt his leg getting grabbed by some other dinosaur. Before he could even start to think about the implications, he heard an older male voice speak dryly.

"It seems we have one left, Lenel. I take it that he'll join the others, no?" Northwind asked with a bored voice, hoping that this massacre would already have been over. Lenel was equally annoyed by the bloodbath and he merely sighed as he gave his answer.

"Just do it, Northwind. We have to finish the job, no m…" He began before he was interrupted by a desperate cry from deeper in the cave. The pale flyer frowned as he turned to look at the direction of the cry, not really willing to have any further interruptions.

"Don't allow it, Lenel! Ortin not wish any bad for you or anyone else!" Petrie cried as he landed before Lenel, causing the older flyer's eyes widen immediately. He had thought that Petrie had stayed in the Valley and to see him here brought a mix of disappointment and surprise to his mind. Ortin looked at Petrie, not willing to have that fool defend him in this case. Lenel took a stern look as he looked at the young boy, giving him a brief and cold answer.

"So you didn't honor our pact after all, Petrie. Didn't I tell you that your presence is no longer possible within my herd? Perhaps I should have emphasized that once I agree to something, I expect them to keep their part of the bargain!" He said, his condition growing more painful by the second. Petrie knew that his presence here was unlikely what Lenel wanted but right now, he had only one thing in his mind. He looked at Lenel with pleading eyes and tried to portray himself as harmless and well-intentioned as he only could.

"Petrie sorry about that and me promise that me leave as soon as me can before anyone else see me. But before that, please let Ortin go. Petrie know he a good flyer and he not in any way guilty of what Peak did. Me heard from uncle Pterano that you a wise and kind flyer and me know that you agree that sparing Ortin cannot be bad in any way." The bloody sight around him made Petrie recoil deeply as he thought about the words he said. A wise or kind flyer would never kill a bunch of children in cold blood and inside, Petrie couldn't help but wonder why his uncle had ever followed this monster. He couldn't help but see a hint of his own siblings in the dead flyers around him, just thinking about how Ortin had to feel right now.

Lenel raised his beak and crossed his arms as he looked at Petrie. He had little desire to debate with a child like Petrie but he had found that listening to others and explaining his point of view often brought more benefits than simply silencing them outright. He didn't really know why exactly Petrie wanted to protect Ortin but one way or another, the higher-ranked flyer was determined to force the boy to drop that position.

"How gracious of you to try to use my own, loyal deputy against me. Petrie, there are wise leaders but not kind ones and the sooner you realize it, the better. Pterano always understood that sometimes one had to do what was best for as many flyers as possible and that's what we always did. As for Ortin, I'm sorry but I cannot do as you ask. That brat is the last member of Warekli's line and if he himself doesn't want to one day take Peak's old position himself, some desperate old ally will seek him out and make him the leader! Even if I knew he holds no bad blood against me, I still couldn't let him live. And his attempted attack didn't exactly improve his chances any." He said, looking at Petrie with pompous, even arrogant eyes. Petrie cringed deeply at those words, not liking them in the least. If Lenel spoke the truth, Pterano had most likely done more bad things with Lenel and in that case… _Poor, poor uncle Pterano._ However, the younger male wasn't about to give up just yet and he spoke to Lenel softly, noticing Glide landing beside him.

"But that does not have to happen! What happened was terrible but Petrie know you can both walk out of this alive! If Ortin his family's last member, then you can agree to peace with him, can you not?" Petrie cried in an almost desperate voice. He knew his chances of making Lenel see reason were growing thin but he still had to try for Ortin's sake even if he knew just how foolish his hopes were.

However, to Lenel's own surprise, those words moved him more than he had expected. Petrie's attempts at making these kinds of decisions were nostalgic in their naivety and he couldn't help but smile at the other flyer. Yet, even now there was no way he could do as Petrie asked as the stakes were simply too high for him. He was far past the point where he would show mercy against his better judgement as that was the only thing that had taken him this close to his lifelong dream. Yet, he spoke softly to Petrie, hoping the younger flyer would at least get away from his way. He harbored no ill will at Petrie and deep down, Lenel prayed the other flyer would yet see reason.

"Oh, Petrie. You still have so much to learn and I'd like to do as you say. However, there is simply too much at stake to trust a child's promise of peace. You'll see that one day, Petrie, if you are anything like your uncle was. I promise you that you will thank me for the good I will bring upon all the flyers before long. Northwind, do it." That moment seemed to go on for hours for Petrie due to the countless thoughts swirling within his head. Again, the comparison between him and his uncle made the boy cringe deeply as did Lenel's words. The more Petrie thought about it, the more he realized just how Lenel's hubris resembled that of Pterano's concerning the Stone of Cold Fire and the boy could even see the familiar flame within Lenel's eyes. Deep down, Petrie couldn't help but wonder if his uncle would have been ready to do this kind of abomination in order to claim the Stone but that mattered little to him now.

The one issue that filled his mind was the monumental decision presented to him now. He could let Lenel's deputy kill Ortin in which case he could leave this place in peace and he wouldn't have to worry about Lenel's vengeance again. He could still continue searching for Littlefoot and his family, no matter how unlikely that prospect seemed these days.

However, Petrie realized immediately that option was something he couldn't genuinely consider. Even if he could let Ortin die, he knew Glide would never forgive him for such a decision. But even worse, he knew Ortin was his only chance of finding the Land of Dancing Waters and of having a somewhat realistic chance of finding his friends and family. Petrie realized the implications of any move against Lenel or his deputies but to him, that decision was a no-brainer. He had to save Ortin, no matter the consequences. He looked as Northwind raised his claws to strike the child down but before he could deliver the blow, he was up for a surprise.

With all the might he could muster, Petrie dashed towards the older flyer, sinking his beak into his stomach. A cry of pain filled the cave as Northwind turned to look at Petrie, preparing to crush the upstart brat once and for all. However, before he could do it, he could feel a stinging pain in his hands, feeling his warm blood flowing down his arm. He cringed deeply as he realized what was happening but before could prevent it, he saw Ortin being able to break away from his grip into the air. He heard a frustrated cry from Lenel, realizing the depth of his mistake.

"Kill Ortin with any means necessary and help me catch those two other fools! Don't waste any more t…" The highest-ranked flyer tried to command but as he tried to rise to his wings, he felt a stinging pain that nearly made his consciousness fail. Hit his head in the rocky ground before rising back to his knees, panting heavily. So this was his limit. The poison had spread too wide and now he'd have to call for Deron's help or let his dream die along with him. Lenel looked in annoyance as he saw his deputies get closer to him and he snapped at them in anger.

"I'll be fine so get those brats, now, or I'll make sure you'll be sorry before long!" He said before he saw the two other flyers finally do as he told them. He would have wanted to finish this himself but inside, he couldn't help but feel slight satisfaction that his last encounter with Peak wasn't one he'd ever forget in his entire life.

* * *

Petrie listened to his heart beating in his chest furiously as he tried to avoid hitting the walls of the narrow tunnel. He couldn't believe his luck as he hadn't even known there was something wrong with Lenel and he was determined to make most of this unexpected opportunity to escape. However, he still knew that his and companions' shot at escaping was a small one but he was more than determined to try. He looked at Ortin briefly and called to him in a worried voice.

"Are you alright, Ortin? Or… at least as alright as possible." He added in a sadder voice, hoping he wouldn't offend the other boy in any way. Ortin didn't give any hint that he had even heard Petrie's words and tears started to flow down his cheeks. The realization that he really was now alone in this world was a horrifying one for him but deep down, he knew he couldn't give up. Not after everything his friends had done to save him. The blue-colored flyer quickly glanced at Petrie and answered in a forced voice.

"I… I guess, Petrie. At least… I'm not hurt." He said in a broken voice, making Petrie's own expression fall. He could well relate to Ortin's pain and he in a way admired the other flyer's courage at being able to even fly after such a tragedy. However, there would be more time for mourning later on and Petrie was woken up from his thoughts by Glide's cry.

"I think I know a good enough place where we could be able to shake those bastards off our tails! Follow me as closely as you can!" She cried as she remembered something that made her heart skip the next beat. Before her lied the wall of fallen rocks that she and her friends still hadn't managed to break. However, remembering everything that was at stake, she knew she had options but to hope that the pile of rocks was now thin enough that she could force her way through the smaller debris on top the larger boulders.

Glide knew very well how dangerous that plan was but there simply were no alternative. She closed her eyes, preparing for a painful, possibly even dangerous impact. However, to her surprise, she felt only a slight ache in her head as she realized that the smaller rocks were collapsing everywhere around her. The three flyers had practically cleared the collapse earlier and she could see the light of the Bright Circle greet her like an old, dear friend. Glide let out a deep sigh of relief while looking thankfully at the wide skies. Flying in the cave had been a dangerous chore and one Glide hoped she could avoid in the future. Yet, she also knew that being in the open gave their chasers a clear advantage due to their larger and more powerful wings. There was only a short while for the three young flyers to find shelter and Glide could only hope they had enough time to follow her plan.

"Nicely done, Glide! Petrie ready to follow you!"

"Show the way but please hurry! We don't have much time!

Hearing the two males' cries of approval, Glide took a deep breath as she looked at the looming peaks around her, thinking about the best route she could take. After a few seconds, she closed her eyes momentarily and stopped beating her wings for a moment, sending her on a nosedive towards the rocky ground. She knew that her idea was excessively dangerous but she also knew that Lenel's deputies were neither fools or physically weak so she knew she had to try something unexpected if she wanted to outsmart them. She could her heart jump to her throat as she looked at the quickly approaching ground.

The whirlwind of conflicting thoughts filling Ortin's mind shifted momentarily as he followed Glide as she had told him. No flyer feared the heights but a seemingly senseless plunge towards a certain death wasn't something any of the boy's kind was exactly fond of. One part of Ortin's mind wouldn't have minded joining his father and grandmother into the Great Beyond after today's tragedy but especially Glide's presence brought at least some light into his inconsolable mood. Yet, his sorrow started to slowly change into horror as he looked at the ground being merely ten longneck lengths away before him… then seven… then four… then two…

"Straighten your wings and don't screw the next part up or at least don't blame me if you do!" She cried as she put all her efforts into stopping her dive as quickly as possible. She knew the chance of failure and death was extremely high but she didn't care right now. The only thing she cared was that she could lead her friends to safety and to ensure Lenel's deputies would have nothing to report to their master but failure.

* * *

Haste frowned deeply as she looked at the three flyers before her, more than annoyed that she was even forced to this chase. Northwind had made a horrible oversight that may have just let another threat off the hook. The female couldn't help but remember that she had been instrumental in the success of Lenel's coup and it was more than clear she could one day also be forced to face the consequences of letting Ortin off the hook.

However, to her growing relief, she was closing the gap between herself and the three children quickly and it wouldn't be a long time now before she could end this ridiculous charade and once again get forward with her own plans for the future. No matter what those brats were planning, they could never lose two much older and more experienced flyers. A slight smile rose to her beak as she looked at Glide's desperate maneuver but even then, she was in no way taken aback by it. They could try to do some fancy moves but in the end, the outcome of the chase had been decided the moment it began. It wouldn't be long now until… Suddenly, the frown returned to Haste's face as she saw just where the three young flyers were heading towards.

* * *

A deep gulp could be heard as Petrie looked before himself. An extremely narrow crack in the mountain opened before him, one that was barely wide enough for even the three friends to fly through. He had seen countless challenging places to fly in his life but this was something that made him more nervous than most. His speed was exceedingly high after the long plunge and even one mistake would result in a serious injury or even death. With a worried voice, he called to the girl.

"Glide, Petrie not so sure this is a good id…" He started but the other dinosaur wouldn't hear it. She briefly glanced at Petrie and yelled in annoyance.

"Shut up and follow me as I told you! This is our best chance to lose them!" She cried, her own voice betraying her fear. Petrie's eyes widened as he looked at the small pass growing closer terrifyingly quickly but even then, he knew Glide wouldn't do it until she was certain this was their best chance. And if she was ready to do this, so was he. Petrie was no longer going to deny that he was a better flyer than the vast majority he had met and by the Bright Circle, he was going to show it now!

Petrie narrowed his eyes as the light of the Cold Time's day was suddenly blocked by the walls of rock around him as he entered the narrow crack. He moved his wings only a little bit at one time, knowing that any unthought moves would only cause him to either tear his wings at some sharp rock or entirely crash against the mountainside. But before he had even got used to flying in such a narrow pass, he heard a loud cry from Glide.

"Turn right, quickly! The turn's steeper than it seems!" She cried causing Petrie to lean more towards the right, cringing at his speed as he did as told. If Glide didn't know how to navigate this pass, there would have been no way he could ever have taken this path himself. Luckily, it seemed like the crack was starting to widen slightly so…

Suddenly, Petrie felt himself being plunged downwards as he felt a large pile of ground sparkles fall on him from the upper reaches of hillside. The impact was a heavy one and before he even noticed it, his arm hit the wall to his left, causing him to cringe in pain. It wasn't long before he heard an alarmed cry from above himself.

"Are you alright, Petrie? Answer, please!" To the boy's surprise, it was Ortin who called to him. Even more surprisingly, he sounded genuinely worried about him which wasn't something Petrie had even dared to hope for. The brown-colored boy struggled to ignore the pain in his hand as he tried to stop losing ever more altitude. It would be all over soon if he couldn't regain his balance… Suddenly, Petrie realized that he wasn't about to allow himself fall here, not this close to being able to ask Ortin about the Land of the Dancing Waters.

A deep cringe rose to Petrie's face as he again straightened his wing, noticing to his instant relief that it wasn't at least broken. He took a deep breath before he slowly turned it upwards before finally starting to regain some of his lost altitude. The flyer panted in clear relief as he cried back to Ortin.

"Me doing well enough, Ortin. Petrie just hope we don't have to go on for much longer!" He cried, his mood falling as he didn't hear an immediate answer from Glide. However, he had been hurt far worse than this in the past and he'd go on for as long as needed. He knew Glide wouldn't force him to suffer any more than needed.

* * *

Northwind cursed as he saw the three younger flyers disappear into the small pass, realizing immediately that neither he nor Haste could follow them into it while retaining at least some of their speed. He sighed deeply as he cried to the female in clear annoyance.

"We have to fly over the pass if we wish to keep up with those fools!" He yelled, causing an equally hostile answer from Glide. The male was already frustrated by his earlier oversight and the wound Petrie had caused only made him feel more miserable.

"That should be apparent for even an idiot like yourself, Northwind! It is because of you we're even here so stop talking and fly faster!" She cried, looking murderously at her fellow deputy. The latter revealed his teeth as he looked back at Haste but decided against taunting her further, knowing that any further blame of this chase would fall upon him. He quickly turned back towards the skies, knowing time was off the essence if he wanted to avoid Ortin and his companions from escaping for good.

He was slightly revealed as he noticed that the pass wasn't as long as had thought as he looked at the crack from his natural perspective. It was difficult to try to see the trio far below him but at least he knew there was no way they could ever disappear from the pass without him or Haste noticing. In the end, this chase was only a waste of time as he simply couldn't fail in making up for his mistake… or at he thought so.

* * *

Petrie's accident hardly made Glide feel any easier but she knew that the make-or-break part of her plan was soon approaching. Flying through the pass had bought her and her friends some critical time to try to make the next part of her grand escape work. She looked at the pass' looming mouth with a deep cringe, knowing full well that Northwind and Haste were still closely on their trail. She would have wanted to address her companions about what was coming next but she didn't want to make Petrie's situation any worse.

The seconds passed slowly as the girl watched the widening end of the crack in the high mountain grew ever closer. She had only a few seconds before the chasers would see them again and at that moment, it would be all over. Luckily, she had remembered correct. Before her opened a small forest located on a cliff overlooking the land surrounding Streli's Hills. This place was her best shot at finding some kind of shelter before it would all be too late.

"We should be almost there! Hang on, Petrie!" She cried as she turned left where the withered trees provided the best cover she could ask for. It was far from easy to try to dodge the trunks that were all around her but at least her speed had died down a bit after her daring plunge. Somewhere around here, there would have to be some kind of place where she and her friends could hide from their chasers…

* * *

It didn't take long for Haste to realize what Glide's plan was. She cursed under her breath as she saw only a brief hint of movement at the other end of the pass, finally admitting to herself that she might have underestimated the three younger flyers. From now on, finding them would be far more difficult but even then, she wasn't going to give up just yet. She frowned deeply as she stopped just over the canopy of the trees, looking below herself carefully. The children were still here as she hadn't seen any of them fly away yet. Now, she and Northwind would only have to search them out from here and put an end to this crap. A silent sound left her feet as she landed into the soft ground sparkles. She sighed slightly at the cold air before turning to look at her companion in a weary expression.

"They are somewhere near. I know it. Now, don't screw this up again or I'll make Lenel know who's fault it'll be if that brat gets out of here alive." She said, earning a dark look from Northwind. The male hated at being spoken to like this but even then, he knew he had practically no leverage over this issue. He snapped at Haste in annoyance, trying to regain at least some ground in the duo's mutual feud.

"Fine. But only of you keep your own thoughts to yourself." He said, causing the female to snort briefly at Northwind's proposal. Haste looked around herself for a good while before taking a slight smile. At least the cliff was a very small one and there weren't many possible places the cursed trio could be hiding. Only a few bushes and…

 _Crack!_

Suddenly, the female turned to look at the direction of the sound. It had come from a nearby cave and that sound made her more relieved than anything else that could have happened right now. It seemed like the nerves of the three children had finally started to break and now, they had sealed their fate. Yes, Haste remembered very well Lenel had only wanted Ortin dead but after all this, Haste was slowly starting to believe that she'd have to explain a slightly larger "accident" to Lenel soon enough. She quickly waved to her fellow deputy and called to him in a low voice.

"Come here! I guess our job is going to be done very soon." She said, not really expecting things to turn out any differently than she had just said. She had spent her whole life trying to compete against her sister's efforts to dominate their entire herd and to prove her worth to Nira and all of those efforts had been for nothing. But never before had she been forced to seriously try to outsmart children and as far as she was concerned, they were as dumb as blind bellydraggers. And besides, there were countless other, more interesting things swirling within her head in addition to chasing some children. However, her oversight was the mistake which would cost her today's mission.

* * *

"Now, we no have much time! Get up, now!" Petrie yelled as he looked Haste head after the stone he had thrown. He had prayed deeply that the effort wouldn't only make things worse but it seemed like the older flyer had taken the bait. Now, it would be the time for him and his companions to take their leave before anything else could happen. The boy looked at the large boulder hiding the trio from haste and Northwind and with any luck, it would cover their escape just long enough.

Seconds passed forward ever so slowly and he worried about whether his heart would beat the next time in this moment of utter fear. However, the distance between the three friends and Lenel's deputies grew quickly and after a short while, they were able to finally turn right, finally ensuring that they had managed to finally lose their chasers after the long and horrifying chase. Suddenly, Petrie let out a long and forced sigh that he hadn't realized he was keeping.

He knew the trio would have to get more distance between them and Lenel's herd but for now, they were safe. Despite the carnage he had been forced to witness, he allowed a wary smile to rise to his face as it seemed like Ortin had finally forgiven him and with any luck, he would be able to help him reach the Land of the Dancing Waters. He had lived through another bloodbath and with any luck, it would be the last major ordeal he'd have to face in a long, long time.

* * *

 **Despite the terrifying situation, Petrie has once again managed to survive through the storm even if countless flyers fall all around him. Now, he might have an old friend to guide him to the place he wants to find so badly but there might just be an unexpected reunion in the horizon before that… This chapter turned to be a long one and I even needed to drop a few scenes I had planned to include in this installment. However, I think it turned out quite well and I'll wait with interest to your thoughts about it.**

 **DiddyKF1: I can see why Ruby and her family's reconciliation might seem premature but the way I see it, her inner guilt coupled with her hesitant acceptance of her kind's even more distasteful traditions made her readier to take this step. The family hasn't returned to what they were beyond that night of tragedy but at least they've come to some agreement about how to proceed.**

 **As for Stealth, he has his own agenda even if it's correct his plans are something that will in no way seem good to the omnivores. Yet, it remains to be seen how his plans move forward from this point. I'm also quite happy to hear the GoT-comparison as I tried to make the plot a bit more complex than what could have been expected. There will be many deadly tests still forward but you'll learn more of them in due time. But thanks a lot about the kind words!**

 **The Rhombus: Yep, I tried to present Ruby and her siblings as having differing views about the recent events and really, I would have wanted to emphasize that point even more. However, as you said, the chapter's plot was already quite stacked and one has to cut about some parts sometimes. About Ruby and Pearl's conversation, in many ways it was this exact lack of time that perhaps made that talk even as successful as it was as ruby was given no chance to dwell within her bitterness.**

 **As for Detras and Pearl, well, they indeed are in more danger than they even think but now, Ruby's presence at least gave them one potential helper when the coming struggle finally comes. However, it really remains to be seen how much her and her friends' presence will turn the tables, especially as Stealth himself knows about their plotting and he most likely won't hesitate to use that knowledge to his advantage. Thanks for the review!**

 **Anagnos: I'm sorry for the mistake but in that case, I'm even more happy for having such a long-time follower! As for the question, I'd prefer not to give away too much but unlike Red Claw, Stealth is driven by his bitterness as opposed to simple will to dominate others as seems to be the case with red Claw. However, despite their differing motives, we'll soon see whether the result will be very different.**

 **And yeah, the reunion might have come a bit quickly but rest assured, that plot twist is needed at this point and I hope to justify that in the coming chapters. About Ruby and her parents, despite that horrifying night, there still lingers a flicker of love deep within Ruby's heart for her family and her decision wasn't driven only by her analytic mind. As for Red Claw, I've seen him in enough fanfics already so I thought I might as well use him to emphasize that Stealth is a sharptooth to be reckoned with. But as always, keep those detailed reviews coming!**


	40. Old Enemies Gather

**Old Enemies Gather**

The Bright Circle was only starting to peek over the eastern horizon even if the morning was already growing old. The sharptooth cringed slightly at that fact, missing the longer and brighter days of the Warm Time but even then, she knew that couldn't be helped right now. Today, only one thought swirled within her mind as her eyes caught the form of a distant flyer in the sky. The only thing she cared about was to finally end the lives of those who had again and again betrayed her and whose fault the death of her only son had been.

She glanced quickly at her mate, struggling to hide her bitterness and displeasure. She had already went through this again and again with the male but he had never even come to admitting he had been wrong despite his terrible mistake. More times than once, Terri would have wanted to take the argument even further and to force Dein to admit it had been because of his gullibility that had saved Detras on that fateful day which now felt like it had happened many cycles of the Night Circle ago.

The female could hardly force the memory of the day when Detras and Pearl's treachery or failure had been revealed to the sharpteeth from her mind. It seemed like Dein had actually trusted the fastrunners to keep their end of the bargain but when the time for them to present Ruby's dead body to the sharpteeth had come, they had already escaped for good. Terri couldn't help but think that if she had had her way, at least Detras would have been slaughtered on that fateful day. However, all of that mattered very little right now as she spoke silently to her mate.

"Well, there she comes. Hopefully she has at least some news as I'd hate to learn that we've lost their trail on a chase which we never should have been forced to start in the first place." She growled tensely, causing Dein to look at her in growing anger. He had been forced to listen to his mate's whining for days now and he was quickly getting sick of it. He spoke coldly to the female before turning his gaze back at the approaching flyer.

"A sharptooth must always strive to build a more secure future for himself and as you know more than well, that was my reasoning from the very beginning. Now, if you have anything of worth to say, then spare your breath and stay silent!" He said, not able to escape the fact that she had never felt as uncomfortable around his mate as now. It was quickly becoming clear that unless they'd catch the fastrunners, it would soon become the times for the two sharpteeth to part ways for good. However, he prayed that wouldn't come to pass as the predatory flyer landed before him. Dein wasted no time addressing her in a stern voice.

"Spit it out already, Sharpclaw. Did you see any of those cowards?" He asked in a threatening voice. He knew that neither the flyer of the four fastbiters he and her mate had managed to summon to their aid had been happy with being forced to assist their allies on a mission like this but despite the recent setbacks, Dein knew none of them would question any of their orders. The female flyer looked at the massive two-footers with wary eyes but wasted no times giving her answer.

"In fact I did. They were sleeping no more than three hours' walk away from us. If you hurry, you should be able to catch them well before the day turn towards evening." She said, knowing that the ground sparkles only increased the two predators' advantage in speed compared to the smaller dinosaurs and that they especially slowed the fastrunners down as their feet sank nearly knee-deep into the ground sparkles with each and every step. She with some fear as Terri turned at her mate with a slightly hopeful but still bitter expression.

"In that case, there is still hope that we'll be able to make up for your mistake, Dein. To be honest, that's more than…" She started, preparing for another fight with the male but before she got any further, the flyer interrupted her again.

"But there's also something else you have to know. Detras and Pearl… they were spending the night with a group of halfteeth and sharpteeth… and they were led by Stealth." She said nervously, knowing that this piece of news would hardly please the two larger dinosaurs in the least. And indeed, Dein gasped briefly before bowing to his pawn's height.

"Stealth? Are you sure it's him?" He took a menacing grin as he looked at the flyer, not in the least pleased by these news. Yes, Stealth was a despicable weakling that had been a thorn in his and his mate's sides for many seasons but his feud with the sailback was completely meaningless compared to the sickening and personal treachery and insult of Detras and Pearl. The flyer gulped deeply at those words but knew that she'd win nothing by lying about anything she was asked.

"I am. I've tracked him long enough to know him anywhere." She said simply, thinking about all the times she had tried to find that elusive bastard in the past seasons. Every time she thought she was closing in on him, Stealth always seemed to have more and more tricks to lose his chasers. To see him out here wasn't something the flyer was happy about but at the very least, Dein and Terri were here to take care of him this time. Terri quickly looked at her mate, an elated tone apparent in her voice.

"Things keep on getting more interesting, Dein. We are already in good enough condition to take out a sailback even in our sleep." She said, more than glad that the duo's recovery from their old wounds had been faster than they had expected. Terri knew that at least she was still weaker than she should have been due to the massive amounts of blood she had lost but overall, her wounds had mostly healed and the many pains caused by her injuries were increasingly becoming a thing of the past. Dein looked back at his mate, taking a more thoughtful look. He decided to ignore the other dinosaur's words for now and addressed the flyer one more time.

"How many allies does Stealth have with him? Are they able to stand against us? Speak as truthfully as you can as our very survival can depend on it." Dein said, knowing that no matter what, the flyer nor his other allies were able to escape him or his mate in this life. Especially after Detras' betrayal, he had decided not to trust in any other dinosaur, save for his mate, ever again and he'd double down on that sentiment in the coming battle. The flyer looked at the sharptooth in deep thought, looking at the still-dark silhouettes of the trees around her for a moment.

"If we face them in a fair and honest fight, we will crush them without the slightest of doubts. However, if they know we are coming they can choose the coming battlefield and besides, Stealth is one of the most cunning dinosaurs I've ever seen. We'd do very well not to underestimate him, especially with Detras and Pearl by his side." The flyer said, hoping that her answer would be good enough for the larger sharptooth. Dein looked at her for a few seconds before turning to look at his mate.

"Very well. Terri, we have no idea about what those murderers are up to this time but at the very least, we'll have the chance to take out many more old friends we had even dreamed of." He said, earning an approving nod from the female. For the first time in days, Terri gave something that resembled a smile from to her mate as she spoke to him.

"But before we get ahead of things, we have to make sure we won't do the same mistakes as before. This is what we should do to ensure those three won't escape this time…"

* * *

The light started to slowly make its way into the forest, the night wind slowly giving way to a relatively warm and bright day. However, that didn't improve a certain fastrunner's mood any as she sat alone on a small rock, her head buried in her hands. She hardly noticed as another tear flowed down her cheek before dropping into the ground, melting its way through the soft sheet of the white ground sparkles. Ruby didn't have any idea about how long she had sat there and right now, she didn't particularly care. All she cared was trying to even start solving the countless thoughts entangled within her mind.

The poor fastrunner had already went through the meeting with her parents more times than she could count and each time, she felt the guilt penetrate her heart. Yes, she had practically promised to forgive them for what they had done but in what world had that been the right decision? She could still see the genuine guilt and sorrow within her mother's eyes as she asked for her understanding but even then, that didn't make that night in the Desolate Rise any less monstrous.

Yet, neither could she forget the delighted faces of her companions when they had heard what she and her parents had decided. She had seldom seen Arial and Orchid as happy as they had been when they had realized a reconciliation with their parents was still a possibility but even then, Ruby herself wasn't nearly as sure. It had all happened so very quickly that she had any time to really explore her own emotions about what was really the right way to go.

Could she actually ever see her parents as anything but cold-hearted killers? And even if she could, what then? Would she simply return to the Rise and pretend that nothing had ever happened? No, that simply wouldn't be right for anyone. The girl's heart ached as she thought about her mother and father's still-loving but clearly disturbed looks on her parents' faces, knowing that her decision had been a foolishly premature one. Yes, she would help them in their efforts to finally defeat Chomper's parents and then…

"Wh… what's wrong, Ruby? Why are you crying?" The fastrunner was suddenly awakened from her thoughts by a worried and innocent voice that belonged to her younger brother. Ruby didn't even flinch as she heard him, instead looking at the lightening sky before turning to look at the boy.

"Oh, hi, Orchid. I'm just thinking about everything that happened yesterday. I just cannot shake that off from my mind because if I could, I would do that in a heartbeat." She said in a low, broken voice as she grabbed a handful of ground sparkles from the ground and looked at them slowly melt in her hand. Orchid moved slowly to her sister's side before stopping still. A clear aura of obliviousness hanged around him as he had absolutely no idea what Ruby was talking about. He looked his sister in the eyes, dreading about what kind of an answer he'd receive from the other fastrunner.

"Wh… what are you talking about? We… we will be able to go back home soon enough, won't we? How is that a bad thing?" He asked meekly, more than worried about what he'd hear. Ruby took a faraway smile but didn't answer to her brother in any way. Orchid looked at Ruby in growing fear before asking the only thing that came to his mind.

"Why aren't you answering? Ruby, please tell me if there happened something that you didn't tell us last night!" He nearly pleaded, earning a tired sigh from Ruby. After a few seconds, Ruby turned to look at the boy for the first time, finally deciding he deserved an answer.

"That's it, Orchid. It isn't so much about what we said but about what we didn't get to say. That whole meeting lasted less than a minute and the situation forced me to do what it took to protect you and the others. I was never given a chance to go through what I really wanted to tell them and because of that, I'm forced to accept what happened as some kind of necessary evil. What complete crap!" Ruby suddenly cried in a sobbing voice as she threw another ball of white sparkles against a nearby tree. Orchid took a step back in clear fear, not remembering Ruby acting like this since their departure from the Desolate Rise. However, he still wanted to help her in any way he could and he cocked his head slightly as he spoke.

"B… but what more did you want, Ruby? I mean, you agreed to forgive them… didn't you?" He asked, the situation getting weirder to him by the minute. He had fallen asleep thinking everything was fine, only to wake up to see that being nothing but a lie. He could see Ruby's face growing tenser by the second, as if she was beyond disgusted by some sight before herself.

"I guess I did but if I had had a real choice, I don't know what I would have done! It was all as if that choice had been made for me the moment I faced mommy and daddy because if I had declined their offer, our plot would have been for nothing. And because of that, I went on to forgive those two for something that can never be forgiven and neither should it!" Ruby felt another tear flowing down her cheek but did nothing to stop it. For the first time since the start of this conversation, Orchid started to understand what the problem was. He knew it better than anyone besides Ruby and he would have lied if he said he was completely fine with the situation himself. However, his answer hardly changed as he whispered to his sister silently.

"You're right, Ruby, but we went through this yesterday. Don't you remember why we did what we did? It was all because…" He was about to go through his and Arial's previous reasoning about moving on from the tragedy but Ruby wasn't willing to listen further. She suddenly cut him short in a nearly hostile voice.

"It was all because we have to hope for a better tomorrow and because we all make mistakes. I remember it very well, Orchid. However, I never knowingly wanted to kill anyone and I don't think I'd never be able to do that, no matter what. And neither should anyone else." She said in clear bitterness, causing Orchid to frown even deeper at his sister's words. He was really growing worried about the direction of this conversation but he was still willing to trust in his older sister's rationality. However, he also wanted to make sure that she wasn't willing to throw everything away because of her inner rage.

"Of course not. But Ruby… we need to help them. It's our only way to get rid of those mean sharpteeth. That's something we…" He started but again, Ruby didn't allow him to finish. This time, however, her tone wasn't that of hate but rather of decisiveness. Her hands turned into fists and fires flamed within her eyes as she gave her answer to the other fastrunner.

"You're right that we have to finish those two for good or we'll never have a moment of peace. I'm sure Chomper would understand after everything they've forced us through. But after that, I won't allow mommy and daddy to decide about how long I deserve to live ever again. I'll part ways with them for good and I don't care whether we'll be on peaceful or hostile terms on that day. Not after all they've done." She said coldly, her decision being more than clear to the young boy beside her. There was not one hint of hesitation within her voice, something that wasn't lost on Orchid. He looked at Ruby in acceptance but even then, he couldn't help but wonder how Ruby's words would affect him and Arial in the not-so-distant future.

* * *

A slight frown formed on Detras's forehead as she slowly rose to her feet. He had hardly been able to sleep at all after Ruby's sudden appearance and he could easily tell today would be one of the most difficult ones in his life. That sentiment was only reinforced by his physical and mental fatigue but the reality of the moment also returned to his mind quickly. He could see that his mate and new, temporary packmates were also waking up slowly as the first hint of the upcoming rise of the Bright Circle appeared on the morning sky. He was just about to speak to his mate when he saw the now-familiar form suddenly approach his pack from the nearby hill. Stealth's voice was a neutral one but it was clear to the two fastrunners that nothing he'd say would bode well for either of them.

"I would have liked for us to be on our way earlier as we simply cannot afford to wait for the rising of the Bright Circle every morning on this dark season. However, I allowed you this small luxury because today will be a momentous one and I need each one of you at your best." Detras suddenly felt his mate grabbing his hand in an apparent show of support but Detras' mind was mostly tied around Stealth's words. He had heard very few sharpteeth talk like to this subordinates and Stealth sounded almost kind as he addressed his followers. But even then, Detras couldn't help but realize that whatever was coming, it would hardly be good news for him nor his mate. Stealth waited for a few seconds before he continued to his followers.

"All of you know that we embarked on this journey in order to finally get rid of Dein and Terri for good and to take our rightful place in these lands. As I've told you many times before, only those two stand between us and the sweet safety we have yearned for countless Cold Times. Only after their demise will we be able to live in at least relative peace." Stealth said, causing Pearl to frown deeply. She knew what Stealth's real motivation was and inside, she fumed at the hypocrisy within Stealth's words. Killing Dein and Terri would be just trading one tyrant for another for Stealth's allies and inside, the female would have wanted nothing more than to speak out against Stealth's outrageous words. Yet, she knew that would only make things worse so she decided to stay silent for now.

"And to all our relief, the last night and this morning have brought us nothing but one lucky occasion after another. First, we found those two bastards' most trusted allies and recruited them to our cause and now, I was able to smell Dein and Terri themselves in the cold night wind!" Many gasps could be heard after Stealth said those words as none of his followers had expected to hear those words.

Detras and Pearl, however, cringed deeply and looked at each other in clear shock. They both realized the full implications of Stealth's announcement and they made Detras' head ache under the never-ending mental shocks. He moved closer to his mate and whispered to her carefully.

"So they were able to find our trail. And if they were actually this close to us, they would have caught us soon enough." He said, stating the obvious before earning an approving nod from the female. The implications were rather concerning and Pearl's answer mirrored the sentiments of both of the fastrunners.

"Maybe finding Stealth was our salvation after all, no matter how difficult that is to believe. But hush now, Detras." She finished, nodding at the irritated looks she and her mate were receiving. Besides, she had no idea just how sharp a sailback's hearing was but she didn't want to give Stealth any more information about the duo's current situation. To her slight worry, Stealth didn't show even the slightest of signs he had heard the duo's whispers even if it was almost certain he wasn't completely oblivious to them. However, those doubts were soon cut short by an excited question from one of the fastbiters.

"Then we'll get to business far earlier than we had suspected! How far away are they?" The smaller sharptooth asked, a clear will to kill evident within his voice. Stealth turned at him slowly before answering in an approving, even respecting voice.

"They cannot be more than a few hours away from us and it's probable that they are already on the move. But I'd be more than surprised if they were alone. I saw one very familiar flyer in the sky earlier and I know she serves those two. They might have at least a few more fastbiters along with them as well." He said, earning a few concerned looks from his other allies. It was clear that their spirits had been hit by that knowledge as they knew very well what kind of enemy they were going to face. Some of the smaller dinosaurs had known Stealth for many, many seasons and during that time, they had also seen Dein and Terri more than once. Detras himself took a highly thoughtful look as he heard the same fastrunner who had guarded him and Pearl last night ask a worried question.

"D… do we stand a chance against them? With all due respect, you are not quite capable of facing those two yourself and we others will hardly be able to keep five or ten fastbiters at bay. We have only three of them ourselves." She asked, knowing full well the realities of the moment. A sailbacked sharptooth was a formidable and dangerous fighter but one would seriously struggle to stand his ground against even one two-footer, let alone two of them. Stealth's mouth turned into a slight grin as he heard those words, of course knowing the omnivore's words to be true. He made no secret of his kind's limitations to his followers but even then, he could hardly hide his amusement at the smaller dinosaur's words.

"I'd appreciate at least a bit more courage from you, Jaros. I hope you are not expecting me to simply send all of us to our deaths, now are you?" He asked, willing to test the omnivore a bit. The latter knew very well he wasn't in any danger as Stealth was anything but respectful to his allies but he still wanted to know just how strong his position was within his own pack. He wasn't willing to watch others slither before him but neither did he want to endanger his life as well as his position to some kind of uprising from his own subordinates. The fastrunner looked at Stealth oddly but didn't hesitate a second before giving his answer.

"Of course I don't but… we simply are not ready to face them like this!" He said, earning judging expressions from the others around him. However, he knew spoke on behalf of most of his packmates and he deserved to simply ignore the damning stared in his back. Stealth glanced around himself, investigating each of the his followers with a look that betrayed none of the sailback's mood. After a moment, Stealth shook his head before addressing the fastrunner he had called Jaros again.

"We embarked on this journey simply to take those bastards out and really, I'm surprised none of you brought up your fears earlier. It seems like you see me as some suicidal fool which is more than a little disappointing. However, that wasn't my plan. It is true that they have the advantage when but comes to brute strength but we still stand a very good chance of leaving this forest as victors. After all, we will be able to choose the place of the battle and to forge a deeper plan for the coming struggle. And neither can we forget our newest packmates and their purpose for even being here." Stealth said in an oily voice as he slowly turned to look at Detras and Pearl who cringed deeply at the sharptooth's words. Detras almost started to stutter while giving his answer but managed to gather himself before he started to speak.

"What do you mean by that, Stealth? I don't believe I ever heard exactly what you wanted of us." He said, hoping to test Stealth's mood a bit further. While it was true Stealth hadn't concretely explained his plan for the two fastrunners, Detras could very easily tell what it would be. Stealth's expression changed into a darker one as he looked at the male omnivore, knowing very well that Detras was merely playing some games with him. The sharptooth snorted in disgust but was more than careful not to take Detras' bait.

"Your role here is to tell about Dein and Terri's usual battle plans to us and to give some advice about how to counter them. After all, you know them better than any other living dinosaur." Stealth said while crossing his arms, making sure not to let his hate for the other dinosaur to show too badly. After all, if Detras or his mate thought they had absolutely nothing to lose, they could be more likely to lie to him in the hopes of at least taking him to the Great Beyond along with them. Detras glanced at his mate quickly before he answered to the sharptooth in a clearly forced voice.

"Very well, I guess that pretty much sums up what you told last night, Stealth. Well, let us see… It is indeed true that we were very close to Dein and Terri and I helped them create many of their plans. Those two know very well that few can stand against their combined might so they mostly want their allies to make sure that they are not ambushed in some treacherous way. However, they are also not afraid to risk the lives of their followers if they deem such a move to be necessary. But if they think they are facing a formidable enemy, they are always willing to take the lead in getting rid of them." He said, knowing every one of his words to be true.

After all, it was also in his interests to see Stealth get rid of those two for good and at least in that part, he was more than happy to help him in any ways possible in finding that duo's weaknesses. Stealth looked at the fastrunner expectantly, clearly ordering him to go on. The male fastrunner took a quick sigh before he spoke again, hoping he was giving the very best answer he could.

"As for today's fight, I'd advise us to try to find the most advantageous place to face them and spread a bit more in order to make sure we won't be ambushed in the heat of the battle. But if we are to win, we have to have some more advantages over them we don't have just yet… Perhaps some kind of ambush or favorable environment. If we are able to take the initiative, we stand a chance but if we aren't, we are as good as dead. I'm sorry, Stealth, but that is the whole truth." He said, being as honest and realistic as he simply could. How Stealth would receive that information was completely up to him.

Stealth didn't answer immediately, instead taking a short moment to think about the fastrunner's words. He had indeed sawn his own fair share of Dein and Terri's pawns' early attacks with which they clearly hoped to confuse and weaken their foes before joining the fight themselves. So, that was something that would have to be taken care of immediately as without a fear of attack from their flanks, both the sailback and his allies could make a more formidable behind the two mighty beasts. However, there was one thing that made Stealth even more worried.

"Very well. That is all part of the overall plan but there's one thing we all have to be careful of. They have a flyer in their service whereas we don't. So, if we wish to have at least some element of surprise, stay in the denser parts of the woods and go into the open only if you find it absolutely necessary. For now, I'd advise you to form two groups and to make sure that Dein and Terri's pawns won't be able to surprise us when the time comes." He said, knowing that both of the groups would be able to fend off an assault by three or four fastbiters and this was the only way he would be able to face the inevitable in as favorable position as simply possible. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a demanding voice from one of his subordinates.

"And what about you, Stealth? Are you not going with either group?" A female fastbiter asked, causing the larger sharptooth to look at her briefly. He wasted no time giving his answer as he of course had thought of that very question as well.

"I won't. I will move on alone in order to scout a bit further and to try to see just how far our foes really are from us. But I will stay close to you in case you decide to screw something up." He said with a voice that had absolutely no sense of humor in it. Pearl cringed deeply at announcement, knowing just how liked she and her mate were in this pack but it couldn't be helped now. At the very least she knew that Stealth still needed them and as long as that was true, they'd be able to live even among their hostile packmates. And as long as the two fastrunners were able to stay together, they'd be ready to face any challenge.

* * *

"Are they preparing to finally move on? I for one, have had enough of lying here doing nothing! I'm freezing!" Arial complained, visibly shuddering as she lied on her belly in the white ground. Yarel looked at the girl with a slight frown, not exactly happy about her words. He quickly snapped at Arial in clear annoyance, hoping to silence her at least for a moment.

"Sshh, Arial! We don't want them to hear us even by accident! He said, immediately causing Arial to look at him with an apologizing look. She understood the situation as well but she wasn't as good in fixing her mind completely around it due to her young age. Ducky gave Yarel an disapproving glance but decided against defending Arial over this spat. Instead, she looked at Ruby and asked her carefully.

"So, are we going to just follow them as we decided-ed earlier? This could be a long walk, it could." She said, not exactly excited about that thought. She could still feel that moving her limbs was more difficult than usual and she couldn't help but tremble without any pause. The fastrunner looked at the swimmer on her back and spoke in an apologizing voice. She had managed to calm down at least a bit since the morning but she was still far from her normal, cheerful self.

"That cannot be helped, Ducky. We have to follow them until they'll find Chomper's mommy and daddy because if they find them without us being around, we will not be able to help them escape from Stealth when the time comes." She said, her own words clearly haunting her deeply. She was still far from happy about the truth about Stealth's intentions and her mood wasn't helped any as Arial asked her carefully.

"B… but I thought Stealth was your friend… or at least some kind of ally. Why do we need to escape from him?" The young omnivore asked, causing Ruby to roll her eyes in annoyance. She thought she had mentioned the reason for that earlier but it seemed like her sister had either not listened or understood her explanation.

"Because I was stupid and believed what he told me during the worst day of my life! He lied to me all along and of course I was foolish enough to actually believe he would need me for anything else than his own, selfish schemes! Any other questions?!" She cried in an angry voice, the ghosts of her past haunting her mind without an end. Arial's eyes widened as she looked at her sister but before long, Ruby's expression softened quickly. She took a sigh and spoke again to the other girl.

"I'm so sorry, Arial. I never meant to sound like that but you just awakened some memories I would have wanted to forget and your words just made forgetting them more difficult. But in case, we have to move on. And remember to be as careful as you can as we have no idea where Chomper's parents are right now. Follow me and be as silent as you can." She said as she headed after the diverse pack before her. Ruby's companions all frowned at her words, knowing full well the danger they were in but all of them knew they had no choice. One by one, they headed after Ruby and disappeared into the cold, still-dark forest.

* * *

The entire scene made shivers running down Pearl's spine as she took another step forward. The trees were growing so near to each other that it would be a real challenge for a two-footer to find his or her way through this cursed forest. However, that fact also made it more difficult for her to see very far before her, meaning that she had no way of defending herself in case some hidden runner or a particularly sneaky fastbiter attacked her. However, the eight other dinosaurs around her made her breath a bit more easily because at least she hadn't been ordered to either of the wings which would most likely be the first places to be attacked in case they were ambushed.

She could also see a calmer expression on her mate's face and she could quite easily tell his reason for it. After all, Dein and Terri's followers were most likely still far away and there shouldn't be very large chances that they'd be attacked just yet. Even if she could sense the tension hanging in the air, she had one thought lingering in her mind, however. One question to which she hadn't received a good enough answer even if its implications were quite severe for everyone in the Mysterious Beyond. She gulped quickly before turning at her companions, hoping to improve the mood among the group at least a bit.

"So, Red Claw is dead once and for all. I'm quite surprised those news haven't spread too far by now." She said, hoping the other dinosaurs wouldn't take her comment in any bad way. One fastbiter glanced at the female with a slightly disapproving look but gave his answer in a rather neutral-sounding voice.

"Considering the season, it is small wonder that there are few dinosaurs travelling anywhere to spread the word. However, when the Warm Time finally comes, all will know that that fool is no more. Stealth's victory was a vital one for everyone in the Mysterious Beyond." The predator said, looking at Pearl with a weary expression. Even if there was no real kindness within his tone or his body language, Pearl was at least relieved by the fact that there was no hostility to be seen either. However, it hardly took a second before the fastrunner Stealth had called Jaros answered to his companion's words.

"They'll hear that we were able to best a wounded sharptooth, you mean. If you ask me, Stealth is making far too big a deal of his "win". Red Claw never stood a chance with his hand broken and leg torn open." He said with a stinging voice, causing Detras to cringe deeply. He knew very well that speaking in such a way of one's leader was a sure way to get killed and he immediately turned at the other dinosaur and spoke in a slightly alarmed voice.

"If I were you, I'd keep such words to myself or else…

"…or else I'll be Stealth's dinner today? Oh, Detras, I can see you've served a crueler sharptooth for so many seasons. Stealth knows very well that trying to force us to stay silent about anything will only make things worse in the long run and I could have said those words right at his face and he wouldn't have raised a claw against me." He said with a slightly bothered look which made Pearl take an odd expression. If Jaros held this much confidence in the sharptooth, what was the reason for his slight melancholy? However, she decided to answer his words and see if the next answer would give her any more hints.

"Even if that were true, you must also remember that no matter what, a sharptooth cares about nobody but him- or herself and Stealth is no different. I don't wish to offend any of you but that is the truth." She said, testing whether the male's words were true. However, Jaros' expression darkened immediately as he heard those words and when he next spoke, his voice was a much gloomier one.

"Any member of our kind won't live long if he forgets that one fact. Of course Stealth cares about our survival only as long as it suits him but that is simply how it is. However, I'd give anything if we could simply get rid of those larger sharpteeth once and for all so that we could one day be free." He said glumly, each of those words mirroring the thoughts of every fastrunner everywhere. However, it didn't take long before the fastbiter looked at his companion in a mockingly threatening way and spoke to him in a clearly joking manner.

"In that case, I would have the pleasure of recruiting all of you others into my own service and I'm rather sure I wouldn't be quite as kind towards you others as Stealth is!" He said with a slight grin, causing Jaros to frown deeply. It was clear he wasn't comfortable at all with that joke but he decided against answering that question. Detras looked at the duo with a rather strange look before asking one more question from his new companions.

"And if Red Claw is dead, I trust there are no other two-footers anywhere close to the Hanging Rock?" He said with a hopeful voice, knowing he'd never get rid of other predators but only the most powerful and menacing ones were capable of threatening entire regions at once. One of the other omnivores snorted at Detras' question before answering, knowing full well in which direction he was trying to take the conversation.

"I'd advise you against thinking of home just yet, Detras. Even if we survive until the evening and prevail against those two, don't forget that your life is still in Stealth's hands and I don't even want to begin guessing about his motives. So, for now just try concentrate on living and try to get used to the idea that you're not going to see the Hanging Rock ever again." He said, no real compassion to be heard within her voice. Detras looked at her dryly, not exactly happy about that answer. Of course, she knew nothing about Ruby and her companions but the male was still far from happy to hear that his life was likely to over within a few hours anyway. He suddenly lowered his voice and turned at Pearl who looked equally unhappy about the other dinosaur's words.

"Don't worry, my love. We'll get through all of this. Ruby must be somewhere near us and I know she'll keep her word." He said, earning an empathetic nod from his mate. The latter's eyes gleamed with worry but it was clear that neither had she given up on hope just yet. She still wanted to think she would be saved by her family after which things would be well enough once again. She gave the male a smile as she spoke to him.

"I know, Detras. I know she'll do anything not to betray her promise and she is in some ways more cunning and sharp than either of us. I just hope it'll be enough." She said before she heard a loud cry from one of her companions. It was the fastrunner whose better eyesight was able to see something between the trees a bit further away. The gloom of the Cold Time hid it from the halfteeth but to the sharptooth, that sight was nearly as clear as during any day.

"Well, look at that! That might really be a place where we could face Dein and Terri." He said as he nodded to his left. Pearl turned at that direction, narrowing her eyes but even then, she could see nothing just yet. However, she had met enough sharpteeth during her life to question their instincts and hardly a second passed before one of the other dinosaurs said with a slightly hopeful voice.

"Well, let's take a look at what you saw, Charger. We have already wasted enough time wandering here aimlessly, at least if you ask me." He said, earning a few approving murmurs. As they drew closer, Pearl's eyes started to slowly make out just what the sharptooth had seen earlier. Before her opened a rather long and narrow pass that opened between two hills that spread as far as she could see. During a Warm Time, it was likely that a two-footer would be able to simply climb over them but now they were two treacherous to support their weight. Detras smiled as he stopped in front of that sight, looking at the pass in a clearly approving way. He soon turned at his companions and spoke to them briefly.

"I think this will do perfectly. This will allow us to take the initiative immediately and to make sure we won't be attacked from our sides. Now, we only need to… do you hear that?" The fastrunner asked as his ears suddenly caught a sound he hadn't thought he'd hear during this season. His mate looked at him oddly before asking the obvious question.

"What do you mean, dear? I don't think I hear anything." She said as another cold breath of the wind blew past him. Detras frowned as he realized that the whistling was most likely hiding the voice he had heard under itself and he spoke with a slightly annoyed voice as he waved the others to follow him. They looked at the fastrunner in slight suspicion but decided against questioning him.

Detras listened carefully as he walked forward, hoping to make sure that none of Dein and Terri's allies would be able to assault them while they were out in the open. Luckily, the flyer was nowhere to be seen and as long as they were quick, they could retain their advantage against the two sharpteeth. Luckily, it wasn't long before he found he was looking for. He turned at his companions as he brought his right hand under his chin.

"I thought I heard flowing water and it seems it is flowing fast enough to prevent itself from being covered completely. Though, there are section of it that are covered by hard water. A re you thinking the same thing as I am?" Detras asked, looking especially at the fastbiter and Jaros. Content smiles rose to their faces as they realized just what Detras was speaking about and Charger grinned at the slightly smaller dinosaur in expectation.

"I certainly think we are, Detras. If we are able to lead them here from the right direction, they will be up for a surprise. I can already see just why Stealth wanted to spend so much time on getting you two to our ranks. However, we have to weaken the hard water a bit to make sure it'll collapse under either of those bastards. Grab some stones and crack the hard water while making sure it doesn't break completely. Quickly now, before we are seen!"

* * *

"Wh… what are they doing? Why are they hitting the ground with all their power?" Ducky asked her companions as she looked at the distant sights of Stealth's pack members. Her sight was even weaker than the fastrunners' and she hadn't even seen the river just yet. Yarel smiled slightly as he looked at that distant scene, growing more and more optimistic about this journey as he followed Ruby's parents' efforts. It was clear they knew that they were doing and with any luck, they'd be able to finally end this chase that seemed like it had continued for an eternity to Yarel. He spoke in satisfaction to Ducky as he peeked over the stone they were hiding behind. It was located on the lower slopes of the hill surrounding the pass and it offered only miserable views towards the river.

"They are weakening the river's hard water just enough to cause those sharpteeth fall through it in the heat of the battle. And even if that fails, they'd still have a much better position in the battle if Stealth plays this smartly. We'll get them this time, Greentail. I promise it to you." He said while smiling at the swimmer. Right now, his own desire for vengeance against those who had permanently injured his sister growing by the minute. Back in the day, he had been ready to move on with his life but it seemed like his and Greentail's decision to follow Ruby had been the correct one after all. The other thinclaw looked at her brother with a bothered look, clearly wondering how to answer to him.

"I… I guess that will be for the best, Yarel. I just hope no one else will have to die because of them." She said slowly, clearly surprising even herself by being able to pronounce all those words correctly. Her speech would never be normal again but at least she could still voice her thoughts. That was the most important thing for her. To her inner regret, she still didn't remember her fateful night but she had accepted that fact a long time ago. Ruby, however, wasn't nearly as optimistic as her companions as she joined the discussion.

"So do I, Greentail. However, I just hope daddy and mommy aren't underestimating Chomper's parents. They have made mistakes in battles before but if they were just going to run into a cold fast water like that, they wouldn't have lived this long. I don't like this, not at all." She said as she looked towards the grey sky over her. Orchid and Arial looked at her in worry but found nothing helpful to say. Greentail looked at Ruby with a hesitant expression as she answered to the other girl.

"You're right, Ruby, but neither are your parents likely to trust on that one hope. I know you don't want to hear it but if they really were willing to kill you in order to protect Arial and Orchid, I'm sure they'll do anything for you now. They did a terrible thing but at least they always did what they believed was right. At least that's what I want to believe." Greentail said, causing Ruby to frown at her deeply. She was far from happy to hear such words from her companion but deep inside, she knew she couldn't dispute the other juvenile omnivore's words. Instead, she muttered an absentminded answer to her.

"I guess so. At least I won't have to wonder about their plan for long. I just want to get over today's fight." Ruby said, not even looking at Greentail as she answered. The other girl looked at Ruby oddly but decided against pushing her point further. The silence was next broken by Ducky who started to speak to Ruby carefully.

"We all do, Ruby, but…"

"Silence, now.!" Ruby said as she suddenly closed Ducky's mouth with her hand, drawing surprised looks towards herself. Ducky tried to force herself free from the fastrunner's grip but Ruby merely raised her other hand to point towards some point in the distant horizon. Her siblings and Yarel could easily tell something was seriously amiss here and they decided against questioning Ruby. Ducky stopped her struggles a few seconds later which was followed by Ruby letting her free again. The swimmer stared at her old friend with a worried look, not liking her new characteristics in the least. Of course Ruby only wanted to keep everyone safe but to Ducky, it sometimes felt like Ruby was treating her as a burden, not as the dear friend they had always been. Yet, for now she forced those thoughts away as the fastrunner hissed in a barely audible voice.

"Three fastrunners heading towards mommy and daddy. They clearly don't see them coming." She said in a clearly tortured voice. Her announcement was followed by a stunned silence which was quickly followed by an alarmed proposition by Arial.

"Then we have to tell them of the danger! Ruby, call them now and…" She started but before she got any further, an angered look from Ruby forced her to cut her sentence short. She felt her heart growing heavy at her sister's hostile antics but it didn't take long before she received a clear answer.

"Not under any circumstances, Arial! We must not make our presence known to mommy and daddy's companions because they simply wouldn't ignore us after we've dealt with these attackers and after that, we couldn't help them when we face Chomper's parents themselves. The only thing we can do is to steal those fastbiters' element of surprise from them by trying to force them to reveal their position prematurely. Yarel, follow me. You others, stay here. You too, Ducky." She said, her eyes only briefly meeting those of Ducky. However, her words weren't well-received by Ducky who suddenly brought her hands to her hips and spoke to her old friend in a stern but still silent voice.

"Don't you remember the times when we embarked on all our adventures together, Ruby? I know you don't mean anything bad but please, let me help! I missed you so very, very much and I don't want you to see my as some stranger, no, no, no!" She said, causing Ruby to frown deeply. She looked at the swimmer for a few seconds before speaking to her in a voice that bordered between a pleading and hostile one.

"This isn't the time for this discussion, Ducky! Stay here and don't cause any trouble!" She said before turning around, leaving the swimmer to look after her with disappointed, mournful eyes.

* * *

"I think this is enough, everyone. We shouldn't test our luck any more than we have to." Detras said as he looked at the deep cracks within the hard water under himself. It wouldn't be able to take many more blows before breaking completely and besides, every second that passed would only increase the risk of the flyer seeing them and revealing their plan to the two sharpteeth. Jaros nodded at him while turning to look at the thick forest to his right.

"Not to even mention that we may be ambushed any moment around here… we should seek out Stealth and tell him we've done our part for now." He said, looking in worry as the naked branches of the trees were moved by the gentle wind. The knowledge that every movement out there could be an attacking two-footer made him more than sick and he forced his gaze back to his companions. Pearl gazed at the two other omnivores briefly before giving her answer.

"Indeed. Our plan is still a long shot but it's all we can do for now. Now, we must…" She started before being interrupted by a sudden cry from the nearby forest. None of the gathered dinosaurs wasted no time turning to look at the direction of the sound but before any of them could do anything more, the thing each one of them had feared came to pass. Suddenly, a distant shadow appeared among the dead trees, one that grew clearer by the second. But even worse, another predator appeared from another direction… and attacked one of the fastrunners brutally. Pearl gazed at the scene with wide eyes before crying in horror at her companions.

"Don't just stand there, help him!" She cried as she charged towards the fastbiter, knowing just how disadvantaged she would be in that kind of confrontation. However, she simply couldn't stay still while her packmate was being torn to pieces and she looked as Jaros and Detras moved to help her. The group's sole fastbiter turned to face the other beast that attempted to attack Pearl's back but even then, it wasn't enough. A third sharptooth ran to block the helpers from helping the poor omnivore and Pearl couldn't help but look in disgust as she looked at the fastrunner whose sides had already been ripped open. It was already too late for him and even worse, it seemed like she and her surviving companions wouldn't be able to withstand the rest of the onslaught. She gulped deeply as the two sharpteeth finally left the halftooth and started to advance at her and her companions with menacing expression. One of them finally spoke to Detras and Pearl threateningly, hate clearly apparent within his voice.

"How lucky that we found you two in the first group we met around here. Dein and Terri hoped to be the ones to end your cursed lives but it seems like that'll be up to us. Not that I complain in the least." The predator spoke slowly, making Pearl frown deeply. This had been exactly what she had feared all along on today's quest but that was a risk she simply couldn't have avoided. She looked at the predator coldly but before she could give her answer, Charger spoke to the other fastbiter, his expression proving he meant every word he said.

"Neither will I complain once I get rid of you and your despicable masters once and for all. Those two bastards have been a curse on these lands once and for all! Turn around now and you might still walk away of this fight alive!" He cried, knowing that his words were little more than a bluff. He knew that his five companions had a numerical advantage over the three sharpteeth but even then, a fastbiter would beat an omnivore in any situation and Charger cursed the thought that he might fall here alongside a bunch of halfteeth. However, he still served Stealth and that meant that the only thing that mattered was to keep her words for the sailback. One of the attackers growled to his companions in clear annoyance as she prepared to charge upon her prey.

"Just stop the useless banter and take those weaklings out! Dein and Terri won't want any further del…" She started before she suddenly heard a loud thud behind herself. The female fastbiter turned around just in time…. just in time to see a large leg fall down upon her lower body, crushing it completely as she felt an intense pain flow through her as she felt the life starting to flee her body. Stealth bowed towards his opponent and spoke to her in a cold voice.

"Dein and Terri will want nothing but a clean death before I'm done with them. I made it easy for you only because I am in a desperate hurry." Stealth said as he crushed the hapless predator's body with his teeth, looking in disgust as the bloody carcass fell into the ground. He wasted no time turning at his subordinates and cried to them sternly, his eyes flashing with a thirst for battle.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Take the fight on those monsters without wasting any more precious time!" He cried as he charged against the two other fastbiters who looked at him in horror. Detras was slightly taken aback by the brutal display before himself but it didn't take long for him to recover. After all, he had seen too much death in his life to be seriously disturbed by Stealth's kill. He was just about to join his companions in attacking the remaining sharpteeth but they knew more than well the battle was lost. They looked at each other briefly before coming to the same conclusion about their situation. Both of them turned on their heels and headed back into the forest, racing each other on trying to flee as quickly as possible. Detras turned at Stealth and asked him carefully.

"Should we chase them, Stealth? I know it's a long shot…" He started to say but Stealth wouldn't let him finish his question. The larger dinosaur looked at his subordinate in clear anger but also urgency, clearly not wanting any suggestions from his followers.

"Not another step, halftooth. We have to keep this position as Dein and Terri are only a few minutes' journey away by now and we cannot afford to lose any more of our packmates. Detras, Charger, fall back towards the pass, the others will stay with me here. Pearl, I need you to alert the rest of our pack here as quickly as possible! They aren't too far to our south and you should be able to find them by following a smaller stream out there!" He said, clearly not wanting to hear any further questions of objections from the other dinosaurs. Pearl quickly nodded at him and Detras before doing as she was told. The sailback then turned at his remaining followers and spoke in a slightly calmer voice.

"They managed to surprise us far more badly than I had expected but no matter. This is where we will stand our ground and by the blessing of our ancestors, we will prevail against those tyrants. Remember that each of your lives as well as those of many others hinge on us being able to bring Dein and Terri's reign of terror to an end. It's a shame that they now know of our plans but that cannot be helped." Stealth said, his words followed by complete silence.

Detras looked forward with sickened thoughts. The last thing he had wanted was to be separated from his mate right before this fight but on the other hand, she was now safe from the first dangers of the bloody battle. With any luck, she'd be able to avoid the worst of it which would relieve the male from one of his worst fears. Now, the only thing he'd have to worry about was his own survival… and that of his unseen helpers as well.

A slight smile rose to the fastrunner's face as he glanced at the woods on his right. He knew more than well that it had been Ruby who had thrown the stone at the sharptooth and bought him and his packmates at least a few precious seconds to prepare their defenses. Detras regretted it deeply that he was forced to rely on his daughter's help in a fight like this as he knew more than well he didn't deserve it.

However, there was simply no reason to dwell in such thoughts right now. For better or worse, the family of fastrunners would stand together once more against those who had sworn to destroy them one by one. Detras grinned in expectation as at least one last time, he would stand as one with his family and be able to free himself from his guilt and fear of the future for the duration of the beginning battle.

* * *

 **This chapter was kind of an interlude before the potentially destructive fight between the long-time foes and I feel it was in many ways slower than the previous installments. Even then, I felt it was necessary in order to create a good build-up for this decisive moment in Ruby's story and I hope you are also content with the result. Also, with this chapter Separate Ways has passed 400k words which is of course a massive milestone after two years of writing. Thank you to those who have followed our heroes' journeys all this time and see you again soon!**

 **Eris: Thank you for the kind words!**

 **Anagnos: It's great to hear you felt like I managed to keep the intensity of this chapter intact throughout its length. Your comments about Peak and Lenel are also very true and especially when it comes to the latter one, this indeed was his darkest hour thus far. What he did was of course horrible but on the other hand, Stealth's example shows just what bitter surviving children might be capable of if left alive.**

 **And yeah, the part in Streli's Hills has finally come to an end but it will prove to be just a stepping stone to the final parts of this story. I'm sorry that I cannot answer the latter half of the review due to spoilers but even then, I'm happy these important issues have caught your eye. Thanks a lot for the review!**


	41. A Twinkle of Light in the Darkness

**A Twinkle of Light in the Darkness**

A deep cringe appeared on Petrie's face as he forced his wings into another beat even if fatigue and the pain caused by his small accident in the pass made themselves known more severely by the minute. It was becoming a real chore to even move his wings and besides, any signs of Streli's Hills had long since disappeared behind the distant horizon. Petrie sighed slightly as he turned his wings into the gliding position before yelling to his companions who seemed just as tired as he was.

"Petrie think we can land now! After all, Streli's Hills already far away and we seen no sign of those two!" He cried, knowing he spoke the truth. Glide glanced at him in annoyance at first but just as she was preparing to rebuke his proposition, her eyes stopped at Ortin who looked like he hadn't even heard Petrie's call. Glide regretted having to watch her old friend fly by her side for hours with only stoic lack of emotion and inconsolable sobbing rotating on his face. Glide would have wanted to fly further but she knew Ortin deserved a small moment to sort out his thoughts. Glide sighed deeply as she turned at Petrie and cried to him.

"I agree, Petrie! We can afford a small stop after all this flying!" She yelled, earning a relieved look from Petrie. Ortin gave no sign that he had heard that brief exchange but he followed the two other flyers in their rather steep descent towards the ground. Petrie relished the feeling of the air flushing in his ears as he looked at the white ground quickly growing closer behind him. However, he had no will to test how well his wings would hold after his injury and he made a much softer and careful landing than what he had grown used to making. He panted deeply as he put his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath after all these hours of flying. He looked at Glide and gave her a quick smile.

"Well done out there! Petrie already thought we could be caught!" He said, knowing such a scenario would have hardly ended well for him or his companions. Glide returned the look and answered quickly before turning at her other friend.

"You did well as well, Petrie. Without you, we wouldn't have been able to save Ortin. Ortin, are… are you alright? Or at least as alright as possible." She said silently, hoping to avoid upsetting the boy any more than necessary. She had no idea what to say to him but it was clear that he simply couldn't continue staring into the nothingness with broken and moist eyes. Ortin waited for many seconds before answering, a horrifying oblivion filling his entire mind. He had no idea what to think or believe anymore and everything seemed like some faraway nightmare. However, he soon managed to speak even if he couldn't give those words any serious thought.

"T… they're all gone. My entire family is dead. How… how in earth could I be alright, Glide?" He asked as more tears flowed down his cheeks. His entire body trembled as he thought about all the times with his grandmother and father in the seasons gone by. In this moment of loneliness. even those story times with Peak felt like treasured memories even if he knew more than well that it had all been that one flyer's fault. Glide took a compassionate look as she approached her friend, hoping he wouldn't cast her away immediately. She was simultaneously happy and worried as the male didn't react in any way to her.

"At least you are still alive which is more than they would have wanted. At least I am beyond happy that you are still with me instead of in the Great Beyond because of Peak and Lenel's plotting." He said warmly as she locked eyes with Ortin. The latter looked at Glide with teary eyes before suddenly losing his entire composure to another wave of despair washing over him. He suddenly took hold of Glide as he wept deeply against her shoulder.

"Why did it all of this have to happen! If Lenel had accepted his position, if Peak wasn't so insane… all would still be well! Grandma, dad… why…" He said before his voice broke down completely. Many seconds passed as Petrie only stared at the other boy, not able to help but feel the pain Ortin felt. He knew that feeling more than well and it wasn't long before he decided he had to say what little he could to console the distressed flyer. He walked slowly closer to him before speaking softly to him.

"Petrie know what you feel, Ortin. When uncle Pterano died, me had no one me could turn to. Petrie has lost me old friends as well as me family and it more than horrifying. But… you are not all alone, Ortin." He said simply, hoping beyond hope that Ortin would listen to him instead of continuing to cast him off as some kind of foe. However, a certain change in the blue boy could be seen after Petrie's words. He stopped sobbing and he slowly regained his footing before turning at the other male with a dark but more controlled expression.

"You came to help me, Petrie, even if Lenel offered you a clear chance just to walk away, after I had done nothing but insulted you all the time. Why?" Clear sobs accompanied Ortin's words but his tone communicated nothing but real curiosity and even respect. Petrie was completely taken aback by this question, not having expected to hear it. Yes, that moment had been a chaotic one but inside, Petrie wanted to believe he hadn't even hesitated back then. He looked at Ortin with wide eyes and stuttered deeply in response.

"Me… me not really know. It just… happened. Petrie believe the reason is that I simply that me couldn't watch you die for nothing in Lenel's hands. Despite our fight, Petrie still want to see you as the same flyer who accepted me before all the others into the herd. Me can never forget that, Ortin." Each one of the boy's words were genuine even if Petrie knew that his question had also contributed to his decision but for now, that fact could wait. Ortin frowned deeply at his friend's answer, not really able to decide what to make of it. His words were a complete mess and he couldn't decide what to think or even believe. His voice wavered as he spoke again to the brown flyer.

"But… I had already told I no longer considered you my friend! No one would risk his life for a jerk like me! For someone who had gotten into that danger because I still wanted to believe in something good!" He cried, tears starting to once again flow down his cheeks. Glide looked at her old friend with a worried look and moved to Petrie's side before speaking to the boy warmly.

"Just stop it, Ortin! You did what every sane flyer would do and no one can blame you for that. Of course you wanted to save what remained of your family but my dad's deeds proved to me today that one's family need not be the most important thing in one's life. At least for me, my friends have always been more important and after this day, I'll never have anything to tell me dad ever again. Not after seeing him covered in the blood of children." She said, causing Ortin's eyes to widen momentarily. Yes, he could very well tell just what Glide meant and most often, his own family had done nothing but hold him back. His voice continued waver as he spoke to the girl.

"T… thank you for that, Glide. I… I understand just what you mean. When I lost dad, it was you who was there for me the most… and you also, Petrie." Ortin said, clearly ashamed for his words earlier today. Petrie sighed deeply as he walked towards the other boy, stopping just before him as he spoke slowly.

"It more than good to see you remember all of that, Ortin. Petrie has missed you greatly since we last saw each other." He said, hoping to get the message through to the other child. Ortin looked at both of his companions for a long time, remembering once again who he could really trust in this world. Not once had either of them done anything hostile towards him and he had only repaid them by listening to those who had wanted to harm all of them with all their power. Not only did he feel the shame flow through him but inside, he started to feel at least some relief for knowing that he'd never again have to listen to Peak's poisonous words. Even in his sadness, Ortin forced a slight smile to his face as he spoke to the two other flyers.

"Me too, Petrie, even if I had tried to hide that fact from even myself. I'd still be willing to call myself your friend… if you still accept that, of course." Ortin spoke to Petrie, not feeling that confident about his own words in a long, long while. He knew Glide had already forgiven him but he had also harmed Petrie far more severely. However, it was hardly a second before a far wider smiler appeared on Petrie's beak and his cheerful voice greeted Ortin's ears.

"That's what Petrie has wanted all along, Ortin! Me forgive everything you said to me because me know very well why you said them. But me not want to look at the past, only at the future." He said silently, meaning each one of those words. Ortin looked at Petrie in nearly complete silence, not really knowing how to answer to the other flyer's heartfelt words. His entire mind was such a flux of emotion right now that he simply couldn't even begin to gather them together. He merely gulped and said the only words he could think of in this unprecedented situation.

"Th… thank you so very much, Petrie. Thank you for being here for me. You too, Glide." He said, a faint hope starting to foster deep inside his heart. His mental fatigue was drowning most of the happiness under itself but for now, the all-crushing horror and emptiness he had felt was passing away. His gaze rose slightly as he saw Glide walk towards him, grabbing the boy's right arm softly.

"I was there always for you, Ortin. I'm just glad that Peak nor my dad will no longer be able to hurt us." She said, locking eyes with the male. Petrie smiled at the two softly, willing to give the two old friends a bit more time. However, despite knowing just how miserable Ortin had to feel right now, a deep sense of urgency rose within Petrie's mind.

There had been one more reason why he had so badly wanted to save Ortin and while it wasn't even nearly the most important in his mind, it was one Petrie no longer wanted to ignore. Yes, Lenel was apparently injured but there was no telling when he would be on the move again. And besides, a deep sense of longing started to make itself known within Petrie's chest more and more every day. A longing for his old friends and for his loved ones. Petrie cleared his throat awkwardly before he spoke again.

"Ortin… there another thing Petrie would like to talk with you, if you only feel good enough." The flyer said, causing Ortin to frown slightly. At first, he wanted to rebuke the other boy for even suggesting such a thing but inside, he knew he couldn't blame Petrie for anything that would follow. He had proven his friendship many times over but even then, Ortin felt like teasing Petrie before hearing his question.

"I thought you had no hidden motives to saving me, now had you, Petrie?" Ortin crossed his hands behind his back and cocked his head questioningly. Petrie started to stutter slightly as Glide followed that scene with interest. She wasn't sure this was the right moment for Petrie to present his question but she wasn't willing to question him either.

"Wh… no, Petrie… me would nev…." The flyer tried to speak but his fears of offending Ortin prevented him from forming a coherent answer. However, to his relief, Ortin was willing to let him off the hook this time.

"You should have seen your face, Petrie! Now, it's more than alright. Ask whatever you wish." It was clear Ortin's mood fell as he spoke but even then, Petrie knew very well it wasn't because of him. The flyer only hoped his question wouldn't earn any ridicule from the other boy no matter how odd it would most likely sound to Ortin.

"Alright, me will. Me talk to Glide earlier today and she… she tell you and your family came from the Land of Dancing Waters." Petrie said awkwardly, causing Ortin to frown somewhat. The bluish boy glanced at Glide who gave no hints about where the conversation was going. However, Ortin saw no reason not to give his answer so after a moment of hesitating, he spoke to Petrie.

"Not quite. We used to live in the plains surrounding it but yes, that place is familiar to me. Why?" He asked the obvious question, not even willing to guess why Petrie was suddenly interested in his old home. The brownish boy waited for a few seconds before he gathered enough courage to reveal that very reason. He remembered very well Glide's reaction to it and Petrie feared Ortin's reaction would be little more understanding.

"The thing is that…Petrie has heard a lot about Olres lately and me have been told that by seeking out the place he became what he was supposed to become me could find me family and friends again. And Petrie heard that place is in the Land of the Dancing Waters." The flyer spoke, sounding more miserable by the second as he looked at the growing disbelief that was appearing on Ortin's face. It was clear the latter hadn't expected this answer and even Glide rolled her eyes beside Ortin. Still, Petrie knew this was something he had to ask, no matter the reaction it would receive. Ortin nearly laughed as he heard that question, only his mood preventing him from doing so.

"That was a good one, Petrie! Do you also want to seek out the remains of the egg from which the Bright and Night Circles were born?" He asked, even chuckling weakly. Petrie's gaze fell completely as he looked at Ortin's reaction and neither was Glide completely content with the other flyer's reaction. She crossed her arms and spoke to the bluish boy.

"He is being serious, Ortin. I know it might be surprising to you but it is true." She said simply, causing Ortin to look at her with wide eyes. He hadn't expected Glide to take Petrie's side as he had always thought Glide to be a realistic and level-headed flyer. To hear her also repeat such nonsense… it brought him completely to a loss of words. He tried to stutter some kind of answer but Petrie decided to speak before Ortin could gather his thoughts.

"Petrie more than serious, Ortin. Me have heard bout it from Lenel, that old flyer of Streli's Hills and even one flyer who didn't tell who he was. But Petrie at least know that Lenel wouldn't search for something if he wasn't sure about what he was looking for." The flyer said, causing Ortin's earlier amusement to turn into disbelief. It was clear his two companions seemed to know something he didn't but even then, it couldn't be true! Olres' tale was just a legend that didn't even have a modicum of truth to it! Even Warekli was only a symbol his family had used to justify their position to their followers! It had to be that way!

"B… but none of it ever happened, Petrie. Certainly you realize it even by yourself?" He asked, his expression taking even a pleading hint. However, Petrie only shook his head as he gave his answer, wanting only to get his message through as quickly as possible.

"Petrie not completely sure but it me best hope of finding my friends and family. Besides, me know Lenel searching for something that that mysterious flyer said it was Olres' secret. And Olres was Lenel's ancestor so Petrie think that make sense." He said, causing Ortin to bring his hand to his forehead. He had already been through too much to be able to believe that some stupid legends were actually true. He tried to reason one last time in an effort to make Petrie and Glide see some sense.

"Even if I believed the rest about it, no one knows where all of this happened. Olres went through his change in that legendary battlefield and even the legend itself didn't tell where that was." He said, knowing what he said was true. Glide, however, decided to answer this question as she had already heard that answer from Petrie.

"Dad and Kero apparently found the answer to that question in the Great Valley whose flyers have had the chance to question countless Farwalkers about many issues. Now, I have hard time believing that myself but apparently many others do believe it." She said, causing Ortin to make a much more wondering expression as he thought about what he had heard. He simply couldn't believe what he had just heard but it seemed clear that both Glide and Petrie did to at least some degree. The more he thought about it, the less repulsive it all seemed for him. He waited for a few seconds before saying the only thing that came to his mind.

"Even if I agreed to what you say, there was absolutely nothing to see out there. I lived there for many seasons and Land of the Dancing Waters was like most of the other places I've seen. There were many large fast waters here and there as well as a few waterfalls but other than that, it is just a large forest. To suggest that it is somehow an important place would be utter nonsense!" Ortin said, his mind simply refusing to accept what he had just heard. However, neither was Petrie simply going to accept that statement.

"If you never thought of it as anything special, then there may be a chance you never explored it thoroughly?" He said with an excited look to which Ortin rolled his eyes. Apparently the other boy was simply not going to take the hint which was something that was slightly starting to annoy the bluish flyer. Yet, he gave the only answer he could at this point with a low voice.

"I guess there is but I don't think this is a good idea in any way I can imagine… Glide, are you ready to follow him out there most likely for nothing?" He asked, hoping to get some understanding from his other friend. To his surprise, Glide merely shrugged her shoulders before answering the question.

"I wouldn't really mind it. After all, neither of us has any real place to return to and besides, I'd be happy to make sure Lenel and dad are never able to hurt anyone again." The girl said tensely, her hatred for the two flyers evident in her voice. Inside, she was also increasingly interested to see whether there was anything out there that would really explain what had happened on that day so very long ago. Ortin took a deep sigh as he looked at the female, slowly coming to the conclusion that both of his companions had already made their decision. And as Glide had just said, he didn't have a home or family anymore so he was free to accompany the duo on this journey. He slowly turned to look at Petrie and finally gave his answer to him.

"Very well, Petrie. I'll take you out there as it might be good to look at my old home after everything that has happened. At the very least I'll do anything that will help thwart that monster's plans. It'll be at least five days' flight but that won't be a problem after all we've been through." Ortin said, making Petrie's heart swell immediately. He was more than happy both of his friends had agreed to help him which was something he had never even dared to dream. He was just about to give his answer when he suddenly froze as he looked far into the horizon, only now thinking of his location.

Carefully, Petrie's eyes investigated the white wastes before him, his heart starting to beat even more as he saw a thin, distant mountain rising in the middle of the grey skies, realizing he had seen it before, so very, very long ago. Slowly, his eyes moved to scan the area immediately around himself and his beak turned into a soft, nostalgic smile as he returned to the days long gone by. This was the very same place he, Ducky and Spike had gone to search for comfort from the sharptooth during their sleep after they had found their first proper meal of green food since finding each other after the Great Earthshake. Seconds passed as the flyer thought of that distant day and he was only woken up from his thoughts as Glide asked him in clear worry.

"What is it, Petrie? Are you alright? Please, answer me!" She pleaded, only now getting Petrie's attention. The boy twitched noticeably as he finally remembered the duo around him and he was able to mutter only an absentminded answer as he slowly turned around, willing to see what remained of the scene of one of mis most precious memories.

"Petrie alright but me want to see something before me tell more…" He said, causing Ortin and Glide to frown at each other in clear astonishment. They decided not to follow Petrie just yet, hoping he'd give a better answer soon enough.

Petrie, however, had completely moved back six Cold Times as he looked at the large dead tree trunk that still lied in the same position as it had all those seasons ago. Petrie smiled as he walked under it before laying his eyes to the ground before himself. That sight was slightly disappointing as there was practically no trace left of the massive footprint of the sharptooth as it had of course been swiped away by time long time ago.

However, it was still clear to the flyer that this was the very place where he had joined Littlefoot in his sleep with the rest of his friends, affirming their friendship forever. That was a thought that brought a clear smile to Petrie's face, deep joy swelling in his chest as he gazed upon that scene, softly starting to remove some of the ground sparkles away from the ground. It was more than fitting that he, Glide and Ortin would ensure their friendship in the same place where even Cera had admitted her need for companions in her own, proud way.

Petrie slowly closed his eyes, for a while imagining that when he opened them again, he would once more see his dear friends again after all this time. Petrie sighed slightly as he realized that his hopes were nothing but a complete folly and he slowly turned to look at his two friends who stared at him in complete loss. His voice was a meek and longing one, the boy not even trying to hide his nostalgia about the days long gone.

"Th… this is where Petrie and me old friends for the first time accepted each other. This is where me knew me had friends for the first time in me life. Me remember like it happened only yesterday." He sighed happily, his mind going through the array of emotions he had felt after meeting true friends after a childhood being bullied by his own siblings. Ortin looked at Petrie oddly before she asked the only question she could.

"I certainly hope we will one day be able to find them again. But I thought you lived all your life in the Valley." He asked, not even thinking of asking if Petrie's friends had been other than flyers. Petrie would have burst into a laugh at Glide's obliviousness if the subject hadn't made his heart ache so badly.

"We were on our way to the Valley and we got there later. Me just hope me wouldn't have lost them those few cycles of the Night Circle ago. And no, we did belong to different herds: Littlefoot was a longneck, Ducky was a swimmer, Spike was a Spiketail and Cera was a threehorn." He said while crossing his arms slowly. Glide cringed deeply at those words, having little good to say of the mentioned kinds even if she had known from the beginning that such friendships hardly were uncommon in the Great Valley. Ortin, however, was too deep in his own loss that he had little will to think about what kinds of dinosaurs Petrie's friends had been.

"But… but how can you be so sure they're still alive? If I understood right, you were…" At that point, Ortin was interrupted by an absentminded look from Petrie. The brownish boy shook his head as he gave his answer.

"Me know they not dead. Or at least not all of them. When Petrie last visited the Valley, me heard that at least Littlefoot still alive there somewhere. And Petrie will not rest until me know where he and the others are!" He said in a trembling voice, causing Glide to cast him a careful smile. She then spoke to him comfortingly, making more than clear she meant each and every one of the words she spoke.

"Then I hope you'll find the answers you seek, Petrie. You deserve at least that much." She said, causing Petrie's heart to swell. He once more turned to look at the spot behind himself, not able to wonder if there was some kind of magic in this place that brought ailing friendships back together. At the very least, he would forever remember this place warmly and it was also more than clear that the next part in his long journey had now started.

* * *

The first thing Lenel heard after regaining his consciousness were violent and sickening coughs that made his entire body tremble weakly. His vision was more than vague but even then, he could see many drops of blood before himself, more likely a result of the coughs that started to slowly ease up. His entire world was that of pain and fear as he tried to make sense about it all. However, before his panic grew any worse, he heard a familiar and loving voice near him.

"Just take it easy for a little while more, my love. It will be alright." A female voice said and even in his ailing mind, Lenel decided to do as her mate had told her. He slowly turned to look at Sireia but it took a few seconds before his eyes could finally see well enough to make out just what kind of expression the female had. It was that of extreme concern but also that of careful hope. Lenel frowned as he realized that his voice was a silent and weak one but he still managed to form somewhat clear words.

"Where… where are we? What… has happened?" He would have most likely been able to answer those questions himself but his head hurt already badly enough without forcing himself to think any more than he had to. Sireia was more than unhappy that her mate had to ask those questions but it hadn't come as a surprise to her. She wasted no time giving her answer, hoping that they would help Lenel's mind to wake up from its horrifying sleep.

"It was all because of Peak's poison. We're still in the cave where you lost your consciousness but Deron's followers tended to your injury the best they could. Don't you remember any of it?" She asked, hoping to receive at least some kind of answer from the pale flyer. Lenel rolled his eyes as he looked at the cave's roof, smiling slightly as the first memories started to flow into his mind. The sight of Peak's apparent surrender, Deron's arrival and the end of the orange flyer's family… yes, he could still remember all of it even if those memories were still vague and seemed like they had happened in some other life. He then turned to look at the tan flyer, giving her another warm smile.

"Y… yes, I remember it. Wh… what did Deron and his followers say? Will I live through this?" He asked the most important question, even if he suddenly remembered his last thoughts before losing his consciousness. The Land of the Rising Waters waited for him and he simply wouldn't afford to die here, not now. Sireia's expression darkened as she answered but there was trace of any kind of despair in it.

"When they started treating you, they said your life was in the hands of the Bright Circle only. But they also said that if you ever regained your senses, your chances would improve greatly. And… here you are. How are you feeling, dear?" She asked, hoping to hear at least some good news from him. Lenel thought about his answer a bit but when he finally spoke, his voice was far less tortured than before.

"Every part of my body feels like it's burning and heavy clouds hang over my mind. However, it is nothing when compared to fighting a herd of bellydraggers for two days straight. Don't worry anymore, my love, I will survive." He even chuckled, recalling one of his fights of old that Sireia also remembered clearly. However, those words finally brought a clear catharsis to Sireia who could no longer hide her feelings from the male. She suddenly brought her beak against that of Lenel's and brought her arms around him. Happy tears flowed down her cheeks as she spoke in a wavering voice.

"I already thought I had lost you for good, Lenel. I already thought you were going to die, that our common dream would be over and… and that we'd never be able to start our family together. I'm… I'm just so happy you're still here." She sobbed while rubbing her beak against that of Lenel's. The light-colored flyer wasted no time returning that gesture and answering in an equally happy voice.

"So am I, my darling Sireia. I wouldn't have traded our future for anything in this world. I would go through the Great Beyond itself only to return to you. We decided long ago that once we'd have Olres' secret, we would finally have a family and live happily ever after… while also leaving our mark in this world like few flyers ever have." He said, just thinking about the coming weeks. He and Sireia had agreed to delay having their hatchlings until their great journey had finally led them to their dreams and Lenel hadn't forgotten for a second that fact either. The two flyers slowly broke their embrace with Sireia taking a more serious look once again.

"But do not try to get up at least today or tomorrow. You need a lot more rest if your body is to have the power to overcome the poison inside you. We are safe now so we can wait for two more days. I… I am also far from being in my best condition." She said as she showed some of her worst wounds to the male. Lenel frowned deeply as he saw those injuries, regretting the injuries brought upon her beloved mate but he could also tell that her wounds were no longer life-threatening either. However, one part of the female's words made Lenel suddenly feel sick inside and he wasted no time whispering his answer to her mate.

"No, we are far from safe, Sireia. Not as long as Deron and our deputies cannot be fully trusted. I have bad feel…" He started but before he could finish his warning, he heard a wary voice calling from the mouth of the cave.

"We couldn't help but hear you're awake, my leader. We already worried whether that fight had been your last." Northwind spoke as he and haste slowly approached the pale flyer. Lenel cringed deeply as his sense of unease about the flyers around him hadn't gone anywhere. He tried to rise to a sitting position but almost immediately, the pain in his back forced him back to the ground. His voice was a forced one as he answered his deputy's words.

"I'm sure Peak thought the very same, Northwind. I trust you made sure that no further traces of Peak's or his herd's filth remains anywhere on Streli's Hills?" He asked, eying the duo's movements closely. Haste investigated Lenel for a few seconds before he gave his answer to his leader. Something within her made chills creep drown Lenel's spine but he managed to hide such sentiments from the female.

"We left no rock unturned when we worked to safeguard our herd's safety. Even then, I have to tell you to my utmost shame that Ortin and the two other brats managed to escape from us but I assure you, none of them are anywhere nearby to us anymore." She said, her stoic expression telling that she expected no hostile answers from Lenel despite her failure. Northwind cleared his throat in clear unease as he continued from where Haste had just stopped.

"I will never be able to recover from the shame my daughter brought upon us all by siding with Peak's murderous family. But I promise you that I will never again see her as my own. To me, Glide is nothing but another traitor should I ever meet her again. I hope you will find it in yourself to forgive me in due time." He said in clear sorrow. It was true that his opinion about his daughter had nosedived in the past weeks but he still loved her deeply. On this sickening moment, he couldn't help but feel her decision had been somehow his fault but even then, what was done was done. His place was by Lenel's side and Glide had thrown away her place in the herd once and for all. Lenel eyed his two deputies with a tense look before he tried to raise his voice which however failed immediately.

"Are you telling me that my hand-picked deputies, whom I have given the highest honor in my power, failed to catch three children who had only a head start of few seconds? Is that what you are saying?" He asked, his weak hands trembling in rage and disbelief. This was the kind of outrage he hadn't expected, even less wanted to hear and to his increasing annoyance, only Northwind seemed to have any real remorse about that fact. The male deputy cringed deeply and his voice was a meek one as he gave his answer.

"We apologize it greatly, Lenel. We failed you on this easiest of missions but if the Bright Circle will be kind to us, that will never happen again." He said, trying to force himself to stay as calm as possible. Sireia could only share her mate's disdain but she knew that she had no real power over the two deputies and she decided to allow her mate to do the speaking. Lenel looked at the two in utter rage when he finally snarled between his teeth.

"Get out of my sight, both of you! I will decide soon enough whether you will ever serve under my direct commands again!" He said, all fears about a potential coup disappearing from his mind as he looked at the duo. The two saluted briefly before turning around and doing as told. Haste's face turned into a mocking one as she silently whispered to Northwind on their way out.

"He's a cheerful one, isn't he? As if he hasn't made any mistakes himself." She said, not even looking at Northwind as she spoke. The male's eyes widened as he looked at the female, sputtering out the first words that came to his mouth.

"He is our leader, Haste, so show him some respect! We're in enough trouble as it is!" He said, causing the female snort slightly. She then closed out the conversation with an absentminded and cold answer.

"For now, we are. But I'm not going to allow that fact be true for much longer." She said, knowing the other deputy would most likely understand his words as a sign to earn back Lenel's favor. However, he wasn't able to see the determined and ambitious expression on her face as the two parted ways for now.

* * *

The long night of the Cold Time had fallen for a long time ago but Petrie simply wasn't ready for sleep just yet. He continued to gaze at the sky, thinking about everything he had heard on this long day. One of the main things in his mind was of course the sickening carnage but even then, there were more questions swirling within his head about his new destination. The old flyer's story wasn't disappearing from his mind in his mind and now that he was heading for that country of legend, the many question started to return back to his mind.

He had already asked the question about what was it exactly that had made Olres change to what he had ultimately become? Of course, a flyer could change mentally rather dramatically as the flyer knew very well. Every day, Petrie had been forced to comfort the fact that he was growing more serious and cold which wasn't something he was completely happy about but even then, it couldn't be helped. But to see a meek, fearful flyer become a true, wise leader in one night… that was something Petrie couldn't quite grasp.

The mysterious flyer had told him that Olres had visited the scene of the massive battle that night but what else was there to be seen aside from countless corpses and dying dinosaurs? Petrie cringed at that thought as he had already seen enough death in the past weeks. Of course, it was possible that the story had been twisted heavily afterwards but even then, Petrie couldn't help but wonder just what Olres had found. In a moment like this, the boy couldn't quite prevent his thoughts from drifting to things like the Stone of Cold Fire… or Littlefoot's mother guiding him even after her death.

Suddenly, Petrie couldn't help but shiver as he suddenly saw all the spirits of the fallen in his mind's eye, wondering if that place had for some reason turned into their home. Ghosts weren't something Petrie had met himself but even then, the world was full of things no one could quite explain. If Lenel believed in that story and his uncle in a stone that could make him rule the Valley alone, there was no reason for him to turn his back on any option regarding Olres' change. Besides, the story of the Saurus Rock and the longnecks' sleep stories only reinforced the fact that even he had heard crazier stories than a group of spirits deciding to haunt a place like that.

However, there was another question that kept Petrie awake. In every such story before, the location of the mysterious events had been told clearly but here, Lenel had been forced to go to extreme lengths to locate the scene of that carnage in the Land of Dancing Waters. Why had a place of such importance been forgotten like that? That fact alone made Petrie to believe that legend more easily as most flyers had been honest and respectful enough to admit their lack of knowledge about that particular issue. If it was nothing but a lie, certainly some flyer would have filled those gaps with some nonsense?

Inside, Petrie yearned to uncover Olres' secrets himself and at the very least to prevent Lenel from ever fulfilling his dreams. The pale flyer didn't deserve it after his sickening carnage and after attempting to kill Ortin without any remorse. The boy frowned deeply as he thought about all the times Pterano had told him about Lenel's wisdom and inside, he couldn't help but admit that his dear uncle had once again been deceived which was something that made Petrie feel even worse for him.

However, his fatigue started to slowly get the best of him and slowly, Petrie felt the sleep starting to overcome his consciousness. The sight before him started to slowly fade as his body prepared for the coming flight… before his eyes once again went wide open. He immediately rose to a sitting position and started to stare into the sky, trying to see the same thing he thought he had just seen. The boy immediately narrowed his eyes and again saw a flicker movement in the wide sky and at that moment, he felt happiness creep into his heart in a way he had seldom felt.

It… it had seemed like one of his brothers, most likely one called Tovi. He could recognize that pattern of flying anywhere and his silhouette in the sky resembled him nearly perfectly. Petrie wasted no time thinking about how he could possibly be here at this hour but he'd find out the reason without further delays. He was already starting to rise to his wings when he heard Glide ask him with an odd voice.

"Where are you going now, Petrie! Why can't you just try to…" She started but before she could get any further, Petrie spoke to her in deep excitement.

"Petrie think me saw, Tovi, one of me brothers! Me have to catch him before he gets away!" He said in a loud voice, not waiting any longer before he dashed into the darkness. Glide looked after him in astonishment, not believing her ears. How could any of Petrie's siblings be here and besides, it would be a miracle if he could really see anything in this dark night. She turned to look at Ortin as he took a deep breath and spoke to the girl in a dry voice.

"Well, let us follow him them. I don't think we can let him go out alone, now can we?" He asked, more than certain that Petrie hadn't actually seen anything of worth. Still, it would be a good idea to make sure he wouldn't get attacked out there and both of the flyers headed after their friend, neither of them really knowing what to expect.

Petrie, however, didn't allow such doubts keep his hopes down. He was sure it was his brother and if it really was him, then the rest of his family simply couldn't be far away either. This was a dream come true: just as he was about to embark on that long journey, he was about to find his family even without the Land of Dancing Waters! Of course, Littlefoot was still out there but that hardly even registered in Petrie's mind.

As he finally reached the altitude he had seen that vague form, he finally stopped for a moment and realized something that made him extremely worried. No matter where he looked, he could no longer see anything. There was no flyers aside from Ortin and Glide to be seen and he couldn't even see any trace of movement anywhere. Petrie felt his heart starting to beat in his chest more and more by the second as he realized he no longer had any confidence that he had even seen what he had thought. He suddenly heard a call from Glide who was quickly catching up to him.

"Well, where is he, Petrie?" She asked simply, causing Petrie to tremble slightly. Had he actually just woken his friends without any good reason? Had his imagination really tricked him this badly? Petrie frowned deeply as he thought about it. It simply couldn't be… he had seen something and he'd find out what!

"Just wait for a moment! Petrie look into it!" He cried as he suddenly started to fly around, trying to catch site of anything that resembled a young flyer in any way. However, seconds passed slowly without the boy being able to see anything but some small sky puffies, the Night Circle and the lesser lights of the sky. Slowly, deep sorrow started to invade his mind as his gaze fell towards the ground as he knew that he had been mistaken. With a heavy heart, he landed on a small mountain in the middle of the wastes, muttering a small apology to his friends.

"Petrie… Petrie so sorry for bothering you. It seems me just imagined all of it." He said, crossing his hands behind his back in a mixture of shame and resignation. Ortin looked at the boy for a few seconds before he snorted his answer in clear annoyance.

"Well, maybe you now know better than to wake up because of something like that. Come on, Petrie." The bluish flyer said as he turned around, preparing to return to their sleeping place. Petrie looked at his friend with saddened eyes as he prepared to rise to his wings. However, before he could rise into the air again, he heard a voice that stopped his entire world.

"Petrie? Is… is it really you? It really is! Thank the Bright Circle, it really is you!" Before Petrie could even twitch his finger, he felt a crushing embrace nearly force out the last trace of breath within him. He could recognize that voice anywhere but before he could fully appreciate the moment, he forced out a meek but extremely heartfelt request.

"Could… could you please release Petrie? Me… no… can breath!" He said, his brother suddenly realizing his mistake. He soon eased his grip but didn't release Petrie just yet who was finally able to return the gesture. He could hardly speak and his voice wavered deeply as he spoke.

"So it really was you, Tovi! I… I was searching for you but you managed to lose me! Petrie so happy to see you again." He said, not believing he was looking at his sibling's eyes again. It had been so long… the last time he had last seen Tovi had been back at the meeting of the herds back at the Great Valley, something that seemed like it had happened dozens of seasons ago. The other flyer spoke to his brother softly, all of their past fights and bitterness having vanished like a lone ground fuzzy into a dark Cold Time's night.

"We… we all thought you had died, Petrie! You had been gone for so long that we had accepted that we'd never see you again! Where… where you all this time?" He asked, finally releasing Petrie from his embrace. The brownish flyer looked at his lighter-colored sibling in disbelief, still not able to accept that it really was him. Petrie stuttered slightly as he started to speak again, willing to ask some questions of his own.

"It a really long story but before Petrie answer that, please tell me… is momma and me other brothers and sisters alright?" He asked in clear worry, staring into the other boy's eyes. Tovi frowned slightly at Petrie's answer but he understood of course that Petrie wanted that answer without any further delays.

"They are alright, Petrie. I was just about to return from a small test flight to find one certain mountain alone in the night back home. They were all already waiting for me until I noticed you three starting to follow me! I already thought I had three sharpteeth on my trail!" He suddenly started to laugh which also caused Petrie to chuckle deeply. So that was the reason he hadn't found the other flyer too easily. Glide smiled at the sight of the reunion, deciding this would be the best time to introduce herself and her old friend.

"It must have been a real disappointment to learn you were mistaken, Tovi! In any case, any friend or sibling of Petrie is also a friend of mine. My name is Glide and his name is Ortin. It's great to meet you." She said, not really finding any reason to distrust the other flyer.

Tovi, however, looked at the duo for a moment and couldn't bring himself to smile at them immediately. He immediately saw that both of them already had numerous scars and that both of them had already went through a lot during their short lives. Something within them made Tovi feel rather uncomfortable as he had seldom heard good rumors about the flyers of the Mysterious Beyond. However, he could see very well that Petrie was more than fond about them so he found no reason to spoil the scene by showing signs of hostility for Petrie's friends whom he knew absolutely nothing about.

"I'm happy to meet you as well. I cannot thank you enough for the things you've done to help Petrie find his way back home." He said warmly before Petrie spoke to him again in still-lingering worry.

"But why did you fly away from the Valley? Me returned there for nothing and Petrie was really worried when me didn't find any of you back there." He asked, just thinking about all the open questions he wanted an answer to. Whatever the reason, that decision had made his journey much more miserable and he had spent the past days worrying about whether his family was alive at all. Tovi took a slight sigh as he looked at Petrie, still trying to gather his thoughts following this miraculous reunion.

"It started after we thought you were dead, Petrie. If you returned to the Valley, you'll already know just how things are there now… and momma didn't want to live in the middle of that endless fighting and arguing and especially the fact that everything reminded us from you there from you and none of us wanted to live like that. Petrie… I know what we did to you was wrong. In a way, I would have understood if you had just moved further away from me once you saw me in the sky, especially if you have found such good friends. I'm sorry for all the sorrow I used to cause you." He said, his sad look more than confirming his honesty to Petrie.

The latter stared at his brother for a few seconds, forced to wonder whether any of this was even real. None of the endless mockery he had grown to expect from Tovi could be seen, replaced by genuine regret and joy. However, the other flyer's earlier words made Petrie cringe slightly as it was more than clear that his sibling understood absolutely nothing about what he had gone through. Even being bullied by his brothers and sisters would be a paradise compared to all the heartbreak and horror he had seen but even then, he couldn't blame the other flyer for being unable to imagine his recent adventures. He gave Tovi a quick nod before answering his question.

"Petrie has already forgotten all that, Tovi. Let us just say that me have seen far worse things lately. It completely okay." He said, causing the other boy's face lighten considerably. He hadn't even dared to dream that Petrie would forgive him this easily but it was more than clear there was still much catching up to do. The lighter-colored dinosaur then waived at Petrie and his friends happily, waving them to follow him.

"Thank you, Petrie! But now follow me! I bet you want to meet momma and the others again! I'm also rather sure they'll allow you two to stay for at least a while." He said, winking at Glide and Ortin who exchanged brief glances, both of them agreeing that there was no real reason to decline the offer. Both of them were confused about what this would mean for their quest that hadn't even really started just yet but that would have to be sorted out soon enough. Petrie then prepared to take off himself while he spoke to his brother happily.

"You right about that, Tovi! Just show the way and Petrie and me friends follow!" He cried, his heart feeling as if it was trying to escape from his chest as he thought about the reunion that was waiting for him after all this days of longing and fear. He was more than surprised it had come this abruptly but it was true that meetings like this could happen sometimes and he would accept this stroke of luck without hesitation. He smiled deeply as he once again headed through the skies, counting the seconds before he would meet his beloved family again.

* * *

Another flyer who counted the passing seconds stared into the sky, already starting to worry about the return of her son. It had already been rather long since his departure and each passing minute brought the sickening pictures of him being ripped to shreds by sharptooth flyers grew more profound within her mind. However, she simply had to force her children to learn to find their way through these wastes even in the night while at the same time being able to evade the predators at to some degree. She hated that fact but that was something she really had no power over. Either they'd learn those skills or they'd be in a world of trouble on the day they'd have to leave the nest. Her worried thoughts were soon cut short by one of her daughters.

"Tovi sure is taking a lot of time. I bet I would have been back an hour ago already if I were him!" She said, giving a vague smile as she spoke those words. She had always expected him to fare badly on a flight like this and she'd make that he wouldn't forget his relative failure anytime soon. However, Volant had radically different plans as she addressed the girl.

"This isn't any kind of a race, Relia! Your safety is the most important thing on these flights which is something I hope you'll remember tomorrow when it'll be your turn! But whatever any of you do, I don't want to lose any of you due to willingness to prove something to each other! That isn't why I send you on these practice flights." She said before crossing her arms, causing the girl's bravado to fall steeply. She hated to speak to her children like this but they would have to learn key issues like this. However, it wasn't long before another of the children spoke.

"But… if he doesn't return soon, we have to find out where he is in case he has gotten himself into trouble!" One of the boys asked, causing Volant's mood to fall further. Of course he was correct but even then, she wanted to her children that she had enough faith in them to believe they'd be ready for a test like this, no matter how difficult it was for her. The female's chest was still aching over the second most painful loss of her life.

Every morning she woke up, she still expected to see each one of her beautiful children sleep beside but each time, one of them was missing. Slowly, that realization had started to be a slightly easier one to accept but even then, her heart still ached when she thought about Petrie. To think she'd ever have to go through that again… she didn't even want to consider it. For many seasons, she had spent mourning the death of her mate, Tuulen, and now his memory was accompanied by that of Petrie's. She fought back one bitter tear as she answered her daughter's question.

"Don't even speak about that, dear. He'll return to us soon enough. I promise it." She said, hoping that those words would silence any further comments that might by accident make her feel any worse. However, that turned out to be but an empty wish as Relia continued to bombard her mother with another question.

"But we cannot tell if he's okay or not! You also promised us that Petrie…" She started but she was interrupted by Volant before she got even close to finishing her sentence.

"Didn't I ask you not to remind me of Petrie without a good reason? Didn't I, Relia?" She asked, immediately regretting her words as she realized the young girl was about to start sobbing due to her mother's words. Volant's momentary anger subsided immediately and she then spoke in a silent and regretful voice.

"I'm so sorry, dear. I… I just miss him so much." She said, knowing that each of her children shared that sentiment fully. However, to her immediate relief, that scene was interrupted by a silent thud before her and a heavy burden dropped from her heart as she heard an eager voice speak to her in a surprisingly lighthearted tone.

"I'm sorry I took a bit longer than expected, momma! I had a few hindrances on the way." Tovi said, something definitely off within his voice. Even then, it was completely lost to Volant who was just happy to have that sickening moment left behind her. She brought her hand to her chest as she spoke to her son.

"Thank goodness you're back, Tovi! We were already starting to worry about you! Well, did you find the White Peak?" She asked, meaning the mountain about two hours' flight away from her nest rather close to the Mountains that Burn. She slowly started to notice the odd eagerness on the boy's face but decided to ignore it for a while longer.

"It wasn't even difficult after the hints you gave me. The darkness hardly even mattered when I could tell my position from the lesser lights, as you promised me." He said, meaning every word. The lesser lights were an invaluable asset to any flyer as his mother had told him earlier. Volant crossed her arms and nodded at her son in approval.

"Very well done, Tovi. I trust you're not lying to me about that as that wouldn't sit well with me at all. You may tell me more about your journey later on but I must ask, what took you so long? Of course I'm happy you managed to stay safe through it all but you should have already returned a good while ago." She asked, knowing she'd find out the truth about Tovi's words soon enough anyway. She'd order each of her children find a different place in order to avoid them from being able to tell each other about those landmarks. Volant's breath started to ease slowly but the boy's answer wasn't something she had expected to hear.

"Well… I would have been back sooner but there was something holding me back… a certain somebody, I would say." Tovi spoke very uncharastetically for himself, willing to tease his mother about the reunion for a bit more. Volant's eyes widened slightly as she heard those words, not knowing what to expect? Guido? Etta? Even Pterano?

"Well, who was it? Get over it so we'll all be able to get to sleep finally." She demanded, causing Tovi's face turn into an ever more expectant smile. He let out a short whistle and before Volant could even ask her son another question, a shadowy figure quickly landed between her and his brother, that sight nearly causing Volant's heart stop altogether. Her mind didn't even manage to form one coherent thought before she heard a voice she had never thought she'd ever hear again.

"In fact, it was Petrie who found Tovi! Uhh… me hope you not at mad me about what happened back then." He said, not able to hide his guilt about all the sorrow he had caused to his mother during the past months. Such sentiments were nowhere to be seen on Petrie's face but he hoped to make sure. However, all of his doubts were immediately cast away as the older flyer started to speak again, not at a loss of what to say in the least.

"Petrie… it is you! B… but how? Y… you are…" She spoke as she slowly fell to her knees, closing the younger flyer between her wings as she started to weep deeply against her son's shoulder. Petrie returned that gesture, being just as emotional his mother was. He fought against his tears as he answered his mother's words, hoping this moment would never pass.

"Petrie was alive all this time, momma! You… you don't know just how badly me missed all of you all this time. It… it good to be home again." He said, just thinking about all the happy times and catching up the recent events that would follow from now on but all he cared about for now was to relish this night with all his might. Long gone from his mind was the fact that Littlefoot was still out there somewhere but that would have to wait. This was the happiest day in Petrie's since his original arrival in the Great Valley and one that finally rewarded all the struggles he had went through… and survived.

* * *

 **This reunion was something Petrie hadn't been able to foresee but sometimes it is true that not all surprises are unwelcome ones. Now, he has the chance to relish in this momentary joy but his friends are still out there and it might soon turn out this night will be but a milestone on this long journey of his… I hope you liked the developments in this chapter as I fully know they most likely came as a surprise to many. Anyway, thanks for reading and see you with my next prompt response!**

 **Anagnos: I'm more than happy that my descriptions about Stealth and his pack worked well as they were in a way the main point of the chapter. I wanted to show that Stealth is no tyrant who only wants everyone to worship and serve him but as a figure who genuinely wants to work together with his allies for a common goal. I also wanted to show Stealth's motivations and leading style in more depth here. And thank you for the kind words as it's great to hear such comments from your own stories!**

 **The Rhombus: Chapter 39. It's good to hear that the start to this chapter worked as I regarded a slower beginning to the coming fight as Lenel and Peak have had a long history together already in this story. Yeah, Lenel knows very well how this all works but as for Deron, I thought I had mostly laid out his plan. He was in a way responsible for this fight due to his first attack but after that, he had mostly just kept his eye on how the situation developed around Peak until he made his move.**

 **And it's also good that the ending was done well as I feared I rushed it too much to keep the length at somewhat acceptable levels. And yeah, Petrie has gone through a lot but it still remains to be seen just what will happen before the final reunion will be upon us.**

 **Chapter 40. Your observations are rather point on and I'm happy you've noticed the emphasis I've put on the characters' conflicting motives and painful realities. It's a bit difficult to balance that kind of analysis with a smooth pacing so it's good to know I've succeeded in that regard. About Stealth's followers, I wanted to show the "normal" situation in the Mysterious Beyond through them and it's true they have no real love or hate for either Ruby's parents or Stealth. Right now, the latter is completely focused on his revenge and neither he nor his pack have thought about what comes afterwards.**

 **And yep, there is a lot to be covered in the next chapter. The battle will takes its toll but what will happen to its participants after its inevitable conclusion is still a mystery. And yes, the Ruby/Ducky problem isn't something either had wanted but Ruby's new outlook has changed a lot for those two. I hope I'll make justice for all the moving pieces of this story.**


	42. The Bloodbath Long in the Making

**The Bloodbath Long in the Making**

Tension hanged heavily in the air as Detras gazed into the dark woods in front of him. Somewhere out there, Dein and Terri were approaching him by the second and soon enough, he'd see their massive forms appear from seemingly out of nowhere and very possibly send him to the Great Beyond before he could even move his finger. The fastrunner hated the fact that his mate wasn't here besides him in this moment where he needed her most. The male glanced at Stealth, who was standing not too far before him, in annoyance, knowing he had sent Pearl away simply to make him more miserable and more hesitant to escape and inside, he knew that Stealth had succeeded all too well in that regard.

On the other hand, he was at least slightly heartened by the fact that Jaros wasn't too far away from him as even a slightly friendlier face would make the coming struggles that much easier. Charger was far to Detras' left, making sure that wing wouldn't be ambushed by any of Dein and Terri's allies, a job the omnivore knew would be a difficult chore indeed. His thoughts were momentarily interrupted as Stealth spoke in a silent voice.

"Stand your ground. They are approaching us quickly but remember our plan. We will make it through this." He said, his mind clearly focused on the coming battle. Detras rolled his eyes as he thought about the coming minutes, slowly realizing just how dangerous the plan really was. It would require uncharasteristic mistakes from the two sharpteeth and even then, it would be difficult for Stealth's allies to stand their ground.

Inside, Detras couldn't see that luring Dein and Terri to the weakened hard water was a too realistic chance but that was all he and his allies had. If that failed, they'd retreat to the pass to take their final stand, a thought that didn't really appeal to him. He hated being forced to start the fight in this forest but it was the best way to start luring the enemy to the eventual trap. If it were up to him, he would have just started the fight in the pass but Stealth saw things differently.

And in all honesty, once Pearl would return with the rest of Stealth's followers, things would already start to look much more promising. They would bring much-needed relief to the defenders and improve their chances greatly. Detras only now realized the frown on his face as he thought about his mate. A simple thought appeared to his mind as he prayed for her swift return.

 _Please hurry, Pearl! We need your help now, not lat…_

"Come help me and don't waste any more time!" That cry was followed by sudden sounds of battle and pain as one of the enemy's fastbiters collided with Charger. Immediately, a few of the other omnivores moved to help him but before anything more happened, a similar call could be heard from the right wing of Stealth's pack. The sailback himself merely snapped in expectation to those around him, looking as if he hadn't really even noticed the attacks.

"Stand your ground! Our main foes still haven't shown themselves and until that, we…" But before Stealth could finish the sentence, his eyes widened in shock and fear for a moment. A dark form suddenly ran to a nearby hill and nearly before Stealth could act, it jumped right at him. The sailback only barely managed to roll to his side as the larger sharptooth fell into the ground, the former trying to use the unorthodox assault to his advantage. However, his counterattack was soon cut short as the female sharptooth kicked Stealth further away, growling to him in annoyance.

"To think I'd have to encounter you of all dinosaurs out here, Stealth! I had already thought you had drowned in one of those cursed marshes where you always escaped as any worm like you should have!" Terri cried as she walked towards Stealth who quickly regained his footing. He spat into the ground as he gave his answer, his voice trembling with hate.

"I couldn't afford to do that, not after everything you and your mate did! You made the worst mistake of your life when you allowed me to escape and I'll make sure you'll regret it before the end." He said, growling at the two-footer threateningly. Terri merely snorted mockingly as she continued to speak.

"I doubt a sailback will stand his ground against me for even for a minute but by all means, try! At the very least I'll be able to take out both you and your despicable pawn at the same time!" She said as she quickly glanced at Detras who felt chills creep down his spine as he looked at the massive sharptooth look at him with murderous eyes. Now, the main part of the conflict was ready to begin but the fastrunner couldn't help but think of the obvious question: where in earth was Dein?

* * *

"This way, everyone! We shouldn't be too far away anymore!" Pearl cried as she waved the other dinosaurs to follow her. She was more than bothered for being forced to lead a group of hostile sharpteeth and a few fastrunners alone but even then, if her mate was facing the fight courageously, she would most certainly be able to lead reinforcements to him and Stealth. Besides, her followers didn't seem to question her in any way, a fact that made her breath at least a little more easily.

The female frowned slightly as she noticed a narrow pass in front of her, knowing just how dangerous it could possibly be to run through such places without knowing just what would wait on the other side. The fastrunner quickly turned at her companions, panting heavily as she spoke.

"I don't think we should go here! Let's find some other way that's saf…" She tried to reason but before she could finish, another female fastrunner spoke to her in annoyance.

"I thought we were supposed to get to Stealth and the others as quickly as possible and I sure plan on doing just that! We'll use the most direct path!" She said as she headed into the pass, not listening Pearl's warnings. The latter tried to stutter some kind of answer but before she could say anything, the others simply ran past her, causing the fastrunner to take a deep sigh. It was true that it was highly unlikely that any of Dein and Terri's pack would be on this side of the row of hills she had seen earlier but this kind of recklessness was against everything she had learned during her life.

Yet, she couldn't simply stay here either while her companions moved forward. She headed along with the last of the dinosaurs, long in clear worry as walls rose on both of her sides. Only a short time and she'd be able to get away from this place for good and all would be well again… However, before nearly any time passed, she saw an horrifying sight that confirmed her worst fears. The omnivore who had so very boldly headed into the pass before her companions was suddenly impaled by two massive claws that seemed to appear completely out of the blue as she exited the pass. She could even hardly let out a proper scream before violent gushes of blood streamed out of her crushed body.

The world seemed to stop around Pearl as she looked at the bloody remains of the dinosaurs, her bones and broken intestines flowing into the ground. All of the dinosaurs stood still for a fleeting moment but at that point, every last of them knew what would follow. Pearl started to tremble as Dein's form suddenly appeared in front of the large group, taking out another omnivore before the rest could even properly react. At that moment, Pearl finally managed to shake herself out of the shock and cry to her companions.

"Turn around and escape as quickly as you can. We can st…" She tried to yell to her companions but her words died down in her mouth as she saw three large fastbiters entering the pass behind her. The sickening implications were reinforced as Dein cried to his enemies in an expectant voice.

"There is no escape for you this time, traitor! You and your pitiful friends die here!"

The sharptooth eyed the growing panic in front of him with a wide grin. He hadn't expected Pearl and her companions to fall into this trap but now he was more than happy he had given them that chance. He briefly looked at the flyer far above himself, more than happy about his help. This small detour would allow him to crush any hopes Stealth would have about getting reinforcements and to get some reprieve from listening to his mate's endless poisonous words. Whether he'd still call her such after this day still remained to be seen but at least for now, he knew he'd still have to cooperate with her.

The male predator jumped backwards as one of the fastbiters tried to mount some kind of assault towards him but Dein could only give the smaller carnivore a despising look as he threw him into the ground, crushing the fastbiters body completely. This would end today at long last and once he'd get back to his mate, that would be the end of Stealth once and for all.

Pearl's eyes were wide with fear as she looked at the hesitant and fearful dinosaurs around her who were clearly at a completely loss about what to do. The three fastbiters were approaching quickly and she knew very well there was no way she would be able to get through them. Only now did she notice the flyer circling high in the skies above her and that only confirmed to the fastrunner just what kind of fool she had just been.

However, that didn't change the grim reality: if she and the others wouldn't be able to get past three fastbiters, then they'd have to get past Dein, no matter the odds. Pearl frowned as he saw the massive sharptooth cutting down more and more halfteeth while the fastbiters were able to stand their ground for now. However, all of them were stunned as they heard Pearl's grim but decisive voice.

"Get past him, now! The other option is to just stay here and get slaughtered! Move, now!" She called and even if none of her companions were willing to do as told at first, all of them could see the wisdom in Pearl's proposition. Dein looked at his foes in clear astonishment ad he could hardly hide his surprise as all of the smaller dinosaurs suddenly started to swarm towards him. Even then, he knew time was on his side and he grinned triumphantly as he stroke down another of his foes while watching his allies starting their own bloody job.

Pearl knew the situation just as well as did the rest of her companions. Four of the fastbiters suddenly gathered in front of Dein and knew they had but one shot at getting through the sharptooth. The three enemy fastbiters were larger than they were and it would have been very questionable whether they could have got past them in time. Pearl moved just behind the four predators, knowing just as well that everything on the line here. If she failed, she'd never again see her mate nor her beautiful children. No, she wouldn't allow her story end here just yet. She would escape this deathtrap and repent from her terrible sins!

Dein's grin started to die down as the smaller sharpteeth leapt at him simultaneously, aiming for his vulnerable abdomen and his throat even if they knew that at least some of them would meet their ends here and now. And indeed, Dein sliced one's side wide open with his claws while biting another's entire snout away with one mighty bite. However, he was too proud to then step back in order to avoid getting hit by his foes and a look of pain appeared on his face as he felt the duo starting to shred his abdomen with all their might. He tried to cast them off but they could dodge his attacks better than he could have imagined.

The sharptooth tried to focus on blocking the opening and look at his allies take down what remained of Pearl's group but inside, he knew that his injuries would soon grow far more severe for him to be able to help his mate against Stealth. Dein cursed internally as he took a step back… and finally allowing the smaller dinosaurs escape from the place that had been supposed to serve as their final resting place.

It didn't take even a second before Pearl followed the remaining fastbiters out of the pass. She heard an outraged cry escape Dein's mouth and she could tell very well what he must have said. Even if she had managed to escape that deathtrap, Dein's ambush had still been extremely effective. Only four fastbiters and three halfteeth, herself included, had survived the slaughter and she knew very well how heavy a blow this really was for Stealth and his pack.

Yet, the only option she had left at this point was to try to return to her mate and believe that some odd twist of fate would still be able to turn this fight into her advantage. The rest of the survivors wasted no time following Pearl, especially as Dein and his pawns started their chase without any waiting. Pearl knew that the chances of victory had diminished greatly but as long as she lived, she was not going to give up and neither would her mate and her children.

* * *

A look of deep pain appeared on Detras' face as he felt the other fastrunner's claws sinking into his chest. The other omnivore was already at death's gate but from somewhere she had received powers for one last counterattack. However, the potentially lethal attack was soon interrupted as Jaros struck the female into the ground and crushed her throat with one swift move. He then looked at Detras and asked in slight worry.

"Are you alright, Detras? That was a nasty hit." He asked, some part of him starting to respect the other male. He was a far cry from some other dinosaurs as there was trace of the familiar malice or dishonesty within him. The bluish male used a few seconds to catch his breath and looking at his injury but he didn't waste any extra time thinking about such things. He spoke to Jaros in alarm as he rose back to his full height.

"I'll live, Jaros, but we mustn't linger here! We have to help Charger fend off Terri's pawns!" He cried as he looked at the fastbiter facing two members of his kind alone. Soon enough, he would be completely overwhelmed and Detras knew his temporary companions couldn't afford to lose any dinosaurs without at least forcing the enemy to pay a high price. Jaros nodded at Detras before also reminding him of the most obvious issue.

"Right. Let's do that and soon enough, we can get to help Stealth. His plan will never work like that." The male said as he looked at the sailback who was continuously backtracking away from the forest. It wouldn't be long till their battle would be on the weakened hard water and at that point, Stealth would have a real chance of victory. For now, he was clearly struggling but his agility and speed had made it possible for him to dodge Terri's attacks but it was clear that he wouldn't be able to play that game forever. Sooner or later, he'd need help or he'd fall for certain. Detras nodded at his companion and spoke in a worried tone.

"You're right, Jaros. Let's not waste any more time and we might even live to see the evening!" He yelled as he headed to do as the other male had suggested, not noticing the other group of foes slowly gathering around him and his companions…

* * *

"This looks very bad! At this pace, daddy won't be able to keep them all at bay and if he can't do that, things will get even worse!" Ruby exclaimed to Yarel as she followed the unfolding of the battle. Thus far, she had decided to stay away from it as she knew very well the limitations of her own usefulness but as she looked at this new wave of sharpteeth starting to circle around Stealth and the others, her heart was starting to grow cold. She had heard Stealth's order to her mother but she was nowhere to be seen and neither was Dein for that matter. Yarel looked at Ruby with an apologetic look as he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Ruby, but I can't see any way Stealth and your parents will be able to pull this off. I don't think there's any reason for us to linger here any longer. We should just get away from here as long as we are all still alive." He said, trying to propose the only sensible option to the girl. Ruby frowned deeply as she looked at the boy, not approving of his words in the least. Her tone was sharp as she spoke to the other omnivore, not hiding her displeasure.

"At least I am not leaving as long as my mommy and daddy are still out there! Just wait, Yarel, I'm sure mommy will come here and her group will change the tide of the f…"

"If anyone hears me, please, take out those bastards or we'll never be able to join the rest of you!" That voice made Ruby's heart jump and she immediately turned to look at the direction of the cry, already knowing her ears hadn't failed her. The girl frowned as she saw her mother and a group of other dinosaurs running towards their companions. At first, Ruby wasn't sure exactly what was the problem but as she saw Dein running right on their heels, she realized just what the older female had meant.

To make matters even worse, the other sharpteeth moved to block Pearl and the others' chances of joining with the rest of Stealth's pack which would obviously be their end. Ruby could immediately see some of Stealth's allies heading to help their packmates but Ruby could immediately tell that a victory with those numbers would be extremely unlikely. She quickly turned at Yarel and spoke to him quickly.

"Come, follow me! We have to help mommy and the others before they'll all get slaughtered! We have to prevent Chomper's daddy from doing his worst and the others might have a chance!" Ruby spoke to Yarel urgently and even if the latter had severe misgivings about his friend's plan, he still saw the wisdom in them. This was his opportunity for revenge as well against those who had ruined his sister's life and he wouldn't hesitate to help Ruby in that quest. He would never admit it to his companion but the only reason he even was here was to get his revenge, though he would never risk his sister for that goal, and to find himself something else to think besides Greentail. He nodded to Ruby before speaking to her expectantly.

"Very well, Ruby! We won't have much time but let's do our very best! For your parents and for Greentail!" He said, earning a happy smile from Ruby. The two wasted no more time before heading towards the battlefield, neither of them going to spare their efforts to safeguard their loved ones.

Detras had also heard his mate's call and it hurt him greatly that he weren't able to do anything to help her. If he turned away now, the fastbiter would very probably take out both Charger and Jaros and in that case, Stealth's pack's defeat as a whole would be close to guaranteed. He had to continue the fight and hope for the best as Pearl's survival also depended on Dein and Terri's eventual demise.

The fastrunner looked at Charger's violent counterattack, knowing that the enemy sharptooth wouldn't be able to stand his ground for long. At this pace, the two-footers would run out of pawns but would that be enough for Stealth to take the two out once and for all? Abd even if he were, Detras knew that without his mate, he would hardly have strength to move on with his life. He frowned deeply as he continued the struggle, hoping it would have at least a somewhat happy ending.

* * *

A victorious grin appeared on Pearl's face as she sank her claws into the sharptooth's neck, feeling as her lifeblood quickly streamed out of her body. Even her kind couldn't resist relishing a successful kill once in a while, especially in a just fight such as this. Sometimes it was the right thing to do to just let her carnivorous side to take control of her actions and throw away all caution in an effort to simply hurt the enemy as much as possible. Of course, it wasn't what she had taught her children but everything had it….

"Pearl, look out!" She suddenly heard one of the sharpteeth crying and instantly, the omnivore leapt forward and immediately turned around to see that it had been mere moments before Dein would have clawed her entire back open. She panted deeply as she looked the sharptooth in the eyes but that close call didn't change the fact that the situation was beyond dangerous. Pearl could see a dozen fastbiters gathering around herself while her allies were growing increasingly tired. The six dinosaurs Stealth had apparently sent to help the survivors were still a good distance away and the ring around the hapless dinosaurs was quickly tightening.

She could very well tell that her companions knew the situation just as well as she did and that reality hardly made her feel any easier. Her courage fell further as Dein finally addressed her directly.

"Your long escape is finally over, Pearl. My son will finally get justice and you will finally receive your place in the darkest depths of the Great Beyond." He said as he started to walk towards the fastrunner. However, to his misfortune, Dein didn't notice the two forms on the hill not far behind him…

* * *

The girl could feel her heart beating wickedly in her chest as she looked at the sharptooth towering over her mother. It was clear everyone present that Pearl would be wiped out within a few seconds if she didn't receive any help and Ruby knew she couldn't hesitate any if she wanted to save her. The danger was a horrible one but even then, the fastrunner didn't even think of what might happen to herself now. She was still more than bitter at her mother but for now, the will to wipe out Chomper's parents was more important to her. Ruby quickly glanced at Yarel and spoke to him urgently.

"Follow me, Yarel! If we wish to save mommy, we have to prevent Terri from attacking her and if we wish to do that, we have to act now! We can't waste any more time!" She cried as she suddenly rose to her feet and headed towards the massive sharptooth. Yarel nodded at her quickly before he did as told, knowing this was his opportunity to have his revenge on behalf of his sister.

Terri was just about to deliver the killing blow when she felt a stinging pain within her back, letting out a horrifying cry as Ruby and Yarel's claws sank into her lower back. A deep cringe rose to Ruby's face as she forced herself further up the sharptooth's back, knowing that was her only chance of catching her attention long enough to give her mother a fighting chance. Yarel nodded at Ruby and shouted to the girl urgently.

"Whatever you do, don't drop down just yet! Tear her back open and we can even prevail!" He cried as Dein tried to force the duo hanging from her back off but her hands simply weren't long enough for that. She slowly turned to look at her enemies and hissed to them in a murderous tone.

"At least we have all of the treacherous bastards gathered in one place. I promise you that you will regret that maneuver before the end!"

* * *

"Greentail, where are you? We were told to stay together, we were!" The swimmer's voice lingered within the girl's ears as she headed towards the sounds of the battle. A look of deep agony and determination could be seen on her face as she forced herself forward as long as her limbs only moved. Her walking had improved greatly since her injury and she hated the thought that once again, her brother was out there risking his life while she sat still. The thinclaw hadn't forgotten her limitations but she had always been a proud and self-confident dinosaur and she absolutely hated the thought that for the rest of her life, Yarel would do everything for her. That was something she would not accept, no matter what.

"Just come back here, Greentail! We have to stay together!" Orchid yelled in the distance but Greentail wouldn't hear any of that. Even if she knew what it most likely meant, she wanted to be of use to someone for at least one more time in this life. Neither she nor her brother deserved this kind of life and she would take this one chance, no matter the cost. A slight smile appeared on her lips as her damaged eyes caught the vague image of movement in the distance, knowing her moment was quickly coming.

As she stopped for a moment to prepare for the coming, a sudden wave of melancholy washed over her as she thought about what she was about to do. Here she was, a severely maimed fastrunner ready to lay down her life only to prove something to herself. The worst thing was that she still couldn't remember anything from her past life so all her memories were spoiled by her despicable injury and with the never-ending misery of this cursed Cold Time. No matter where she looked, she saw only more darkness and even her relationship with her brother had been much weaker than it probably had been before.

One resigned sigh escaped Greentail's mouth as she prepared to dash off. If she had learned anything about herself since that horrible night, she knew that the old Greentail would look upon her with pride for the first time since her first encounter with Dein and Terri. That thought made her chest swell with some joy as she started her run towards the massive sharptooth, hoping she could make this charge count.

* * *

Pearl looked at the sight before her with deep astonishment and shock. Dein had completely forgotten about her and her companions, instead focusing on getting rid of the two juveniles on her back. A look of deep worry could be seen within her eyes as she looked at Ruby, hating the fact that she could do nothing to help her daughter now. However, she knew just what Ruby wanted with her attack and she knew there was only one way she could repay her bravery. She turned at her companions and cried in a loud voice.

"Let's take the villains out so we can reach Stealth and the others! Quickly now, we don't have much time!" She cried as she turned to face more of the incoming fastbiters, knowing that her chances of surviving this skirmish were even now close to zero. Still, only one thought lingered within her mind as she dodged the first of the enemy's hits.

 _Be safe, Ruby. You must live through this, no matter what._

* * *

Ruby herself cringed deeply as the sharptooth started another effort to shake the fastrunner away from her back. The girl could hardly prevent herself from falling into the ground but she smiled as she looked at the growing streams of blood flowing down the male's back. She looked as Yarel climbed ever closer to Dein's throat, clearly more than ready to take his revenge. However, the predator wasn't about to let it end like this and he quickly moved towards a nearby tree, determined to end this charade here and now.

Yarel looked in growing fear as Dein hit his back against the tree, knowing that the two younger dinosaurs wouldn't be able to avoid their fates forever. Yarel knew it as well but even now, she could see Pearl and her companions being closer and closer to breaking through Dein and Terri's pawns. They had most likely succeeded but he wanted so badly to simply end it here, for the sake of his sister… As his thoughts drifted back to her, the boy's eyes flashed open as he saw the extremely familiar omnivore approaching him quickly. At first, Yarel couldn't believe his eyes and his voice bordered between an alarmed and pleading one as he cried to his sister.

"Greentail, get out of here, now! We have the situation under control, just get yourself to safety!" He cried but to his growing despair, Greentail didn't signal in any way that she had even heard what her brother had said. It was only after she had nearly reached the sharptooth that she answered to the male.

"I'll try to trip him and when I do, send him to the Great Beyond for good! I've had enough of being a completely useless burden and I'll change all of that now!" She said as he continued to approach Dein. Yarel looked increasingly despairing expression and his voice wavered deeply as he cried to his sister again. For the last few months, it had been his sister that had kept him together and even the thought of losing her now made him sick. Greentail was the only dinosaur he truly cared about and without her, he wouldn't really have a reason to live on.

"Don't do this, sister! I just want you to stay at my side! You don't have to be any kind of hero! Turn around, now!" He yelled but this time, Dein didn't allow Greentail to answer before he gave his own answer.

"No matter what, none of you will escape from this mess! I promise this much!" He cried as he continued to hammer his back against the tree. Yarel yelped in pain as he felt two of his fingers getting squished against the tree but even then, most of his attention was centered on her foolish sister.

For the first time in ages, Greentail found herself being lucky. Looking right at a two-footer's murderous face staring back at her was one of any leafeater's or halftooth's worst nightmares but her weak eyesight dimmed any details of that horrible sight. She looked at Dein's feet that struggled to find a solid footing during his sickened efforts, knowing that was one of her most promising spots to attack. She headed under the sharptooth, hoping she'd receive a good chance to strike soon enough.

Dein, however, wasn't about to give her one. He cursed at his situation but even then, he knew he would get out of it soon enough. The duo on her pack was growing tired and he smiled expectantly as he prepared for one, last push to get rid of those two fools. Ruby looked with fearful eyes as she once again got closer to the tree and this time, she realized she didn't have any chances of dodging it anymore. She quickly turned at Yarel and cried to her in alarm.

"Let off now, Yarel! We've done all we can!" The girl cried as she jumped towards the ground, hoping Yarel would follow her soon enough. The boy cringed as he realized Ruby to be right but he wanted to give Dein one, last parting gift. He quickly sank his claws into the predator's skin. He then slid down his back, tearing the gaping wound into an even bigger one. Dein cried in pain but at the same time, he put himself into a position where it seemed like he was about to trip completely, knowing just how things would develop.

Greentail's eyes widened as she saw Dein starting to fall right before her, immediately deciding this was just the moment she had been waiting for. If she was in the right place at the right time, she could make the massive sharptooth to fall into the ground and then it could be all over for him! The girl struggled to see where the predator's foot was, knowing the best chance she had was to be where his heel would soon land. Sure, it would hurt her greatly but even then, she'd accept that without any hesitation if it would help her brother and Ruby finish the carnivore for good.

Ruby looked at the scene in clear worry, understanding just what the other female was attempting to do. She knew just how dangerous that plan was and inside, there was something that made the fastrunner even more concerned than she should have been. She couldn't completely decide what but she had a strong urge to tell Greentail to get away from there immediately. However, when she finally realized that nothing in Dein's struggles seemed genuine, it was all too late for Greentail. She cried at the other girl in horror as she realized the danger she was in.

"Greentail, get out of there now! You're going to die if you won't!"

Those words made Yarel's heart drop within his chest, having finally realized the same thing as Ruby. His sister was taking the beast's bait and if he couldn't do anything to help her… The boy suddenly sprinted towards Greentail, praying against all hope he wasn't soon late. He also yelled in alarm at his sister, hoping to make at least some difference in this moment of despair and horror.

"Come towards me now, Greentail! Please, don't waste any time!"

The maimed girl, however, had no idea what the two were so worried of. Her mind was beyond cloudy and only now did she remember the great toll her injury had brought to her mental capabilities. For a few decisive seconds, Greentail felt like she was floating in some kind of void as Dein suddenly regained his normal position, finally revealing his balancing problems were all a play. Greentail still being below her, he brought his foot backwards, preparing to crush the omnivore entirely.

The world seemed to freeze all around Greentail as she looked at the sight. She knew her damaged body wouldn't be able to escape in time nor could she do anything to stop the sharptooth's attack. Only now did she realize the depth of her folly and foolishness. She had practically just come here to die only to prove herself something but in the end, she had only managed to end her pathetic journey in this world and betrayed his brother after everything he had done to help her in her hour of need. She suddenly felt a tear flowing down her cheek as she turned to look at Yarel's horrified expression, knowing this was the goodbye. She then started to speak to him in a sad voice.

"I'm so sorry, brother. It was all my…" She started but before she could finish, she felt Dein's massive claws sink into her chest and stomach, crushing the girl's entrails completely. Her body was then sent flying against a large rock in a destructive force, breaking the rest of her bones to nothingness. Greentail's tragic life had finally reached its end.

Yarel looked at the sight in utter disbelief, not willing to accept that the ruined, bloody carcass before him was really his beloved sister. It… it simply couldn't! All the memories of the difficult times he had gone through… the loss of their parents, their wanderings in the endless wastes of the Mysterious Beyond, their struggles to survive in the hostile world…. and most of all, all the memories when she had been there for him in his worst moments. The boy fell to his knees, his eyes locked on the horrifying sight. He had been unable to help her when she needed him most and because of that, she was now dead… she really was gone…

A similar stunned silence reigned around Ruby as she looked at what had just happened. Seeing Yarel's sorrow broke her heart as deep down, this was all her fault. A haunted look rose to Ruby's face as she looked at the other girl's remains, struggling to take another breath. Why did this unnecessary tragedy even have to happen? Greentail had been a good friend all along and… and there was no way she had deserved this! Ruby's shock lingered heavily as she looked at the towering sharptooth, knowing the battle was still on.

Dein snorted in disgust as he turned to look at the male weeping in the ground before him, not able to hide his satisfaction about his deed. He had despised the two thinclaws with all his heart ever since he had first seen them in that nightly valley so very long ago and he was happy to finally finish his job. He took one step towards Yarel and spoke to him with a deep grin, happy to see him finally suffer for his horrible choice to join Ruby in her journey.

"Our decisions indeed bear consequences, young one and yours was one of the worst ones I've ever witnessed. But at the very least you will soon join your sister in the next life, brat!" Dein cried, quickly dashing at the inconsolable dinosaur before him.

Those words hardly registered within the younger dinosaur's mind as his tears fell into the ground practically without pause. He hardly even noticed the sharptooth approaching him, the image of his dear sister filling his entire vision. What would he give if he could simply wake up from this nightmare back in his and Greentail's old home forest, far away from all of this sorrow and pain…

"Yarel, rise up! Please… don't do this! Greentail wouldn't want you to throw your life away like this!" Ruby cried with teary eyes, not willing to believe this was really happening. First, she had lost Greentail and now Yarel was preparing to follow her into the next world. Dein was already preparing to strike the decisive blow when Yarel finally raised his gaze upwards to face the mighty beast.

Right now, the boy simply couldn't find any real reason to go on. He had nothing left and the only dinosaur he loved was dead. However, Ruby's words brought a new emotion to his mind, one he hadn't expected. That was one of hate and bitterness towards the fastrunner who had appeared to lure him into some useless adventure that in the end had led to this debacle. In his state of mind, he quickly dashed backwards and managed to dodge Dein's hit by a margin of mere inches. He then turned at Ruby and cried to her in a poisonous voice.

"That is the last time I'll ever listen to you, bitch! You brought all of this upon us and you can trust you'll never see me again!" He cried before turning around and heading into the forest. Ever since his sister's injury, the thinclaw had lived only to help and comfort her. It had been his only purpose to ensure her safety and now that those hopes were destroyed for good, all that remained was pain. Pain that emanated from the fact that it had been Ruby who had caused Greentail's head injury and it had been she who had forced him to follow those lights in the sky. With those twisted thoughts, Yarel disappeared into the forest, leaving Ruby to look after him with a shocked look. She reached her hand forward, sobbing as she stared at the spot Yarel had disappeared to only seconds earlier.

"Yarel, come back! We need to stick together if we are to survive this!" She cried but to no avail. Her friend was gone, only his footmarks in the ground sparkles reminding he ever was here. Even if that moment was a sickening one for Ruby, her worry for Yarel was cut short as her gaze met that of Dein's. The massive sharptooth had apparently given up his chase for the thinclaw and his murderous glare caused Ruby's stomach to swirl horribly. Dein's voice was a low and hateful one as he spoke to the fastrunner.

"We will get both of you in due time, Ruby. However, first I'll make sure Terri won't fail in slaughtering your cursed benefactor and your parents. You can wait for a moment longer." He said, cursing the fact that he had to ignore Ruby for now but the fact was that chasing the girl here could take a lot of precious time and give Stealth the time he needed to take out his mate. He snorted at Ruby in disgust before turning around and heading to decide this battle once and for all.

* * *

"Tiring already, are you Stealth? It shouldn't take a long time anymore…" Terri said while trying to catch her own breath, locking eyes for a brief while with the sailback. The latter's expression was a fearful one but even then, it didn't match his true thoughts in the least. In fact, he was rather happy with the fact that he had managed to lead Terri so far from the forest, enabling him to utilize his plan soon enough. The water path Dein and the others had damaged lied not far behind the female and he was still largely uninjured himself. However, he wanted to keep up his desperate appearance to the female for a while longer.

"Perhaps you are right, Terri, but if you think I'll go down without a fight, you're mistaken! I still have a lot of fight left in me!" He cried as he suddenly mounted a counterattack of his own. He suddenly jumped closer to Terri and cut a wide wound near her shoulder. The two-footer of course tried to retaliate but Stealth managed to dodge the blow without much difficulty. Terri cursed at her opponent's resilience but the duo's fight was halted for a short while as one of Stealth's allies cried to him in a panicked voice.

"Stealth, we have to withdraw now! Dein has broken through the others' defenses and he's coming for you now!" She yelled, causing the sailback to curse deeply. He had been rather relieved to learn that Dein hadn't been helping his mate in this fight but on the other hand, he had also been able to guess the fate of his reinforcements at the same time. But now, if he were able to join his mate… Stealth realized his window of victory had just narrowed considerably. He looked at the omnivore and cried to him frantically.

"We will not withdraw for any price! This is the place where we'll triumph or fall to the last dinosaur!" He yelled, causing the fastrunner to cringe deeply. Terri gave her foe a brief smile as she could feel victory drawing closer by the second. Her voice was an expectant one as she spoke to Stealth.

"At least you know your options well enough, Stealth. But it's over for you when Dein finally manages to carry his butt out here!" She cried, affirming it to Stealth that his time had come. He knew that this was his opportunity to attempt to take out the female once and for all. He suddenly started to advance against her, trying to find any openings against the larger dinosaur. Terri was slightly taken aback by Stealth's renewed vigor but even then, she didn't lose her calm for even a moment, knowing just what she'd have to do to win this fight.

The two-footer withdrew one step after another, causing a slight hope starting to swell within Stealth's chest. Soon enough, she'd flee to the weakened hard water and then… a smile appeared to the sailback's face as he started to smell victory drawing ever closer. Only a few more steps and she'd fall into the frigid water and then it'll be all over… In his desperate situation, Stealth couldn't even think that there would be even more faults within his plan. Like the one that it wasn't a secret to his opponent.

Suddenly, Terri moved to Stealth's side and with all her might, kicked her towards the water path, causing him to fall to his side. The sailback's eyes widened in fear as he saw himself rolling towards the cracked hard water, immediately striking his claws in the ground to halt his slide into his death. As he panted in fear, Terri leapt towards him while crying in anger at the smaller sharptooth.

"I can't believe you actually thought you could trick me into such a foolish mistake! At the very least, you gave me the perfect opportunity to finish this fight for good!" She cried as she landed next to Stealth, trying to tear his chest open with one bite. The sailback, however, managed to turn his shoulder in front of the female's mouth, cringing in pain as the two-footer tore into his flesh, even breaking parts of his bones. Stealth used this moment to recover his footing and look at Terri in shock, trying to ignore his severe pain. He quickly fled further away from the other predator, letting out a stern call to his followers. They'd have to gather around him for one final effort to take out their foes and hoping that the battle wasn't as good as lost.

* * *

One dinosaur who heard that call had absolutely no idea about what it meant but inside, she didn't even really care. Ducky didn't even want to hold her tears as she looked at Ruby's distant form, trying to keep her own emotions at least somewhat under control. She had seen Greentail's end which was something that hurt her deeply. She had always been a kind soul and she had already seen enough death in the past weeks and she hated to see the already broken thinclaw getting crushed like this. The last few cycles of the Night Circle had been like bad sleep stories and this certainly didn't help her any. The swimmer's morbid thoughts were interrupted only by Orchid's words.

"Is she heading after mommy? B… but they'll both be slaughtered out there!" He exclaimed in fear, immediately followed by his sister whose tone was just as tortured as the boy's.

"Soon enough they'll all be like Greentail! We can't simply stay here and wait for it to happen!" She cried, clearly not knowing what to think. She remembered that Ruby had told her to wait here but that didn't make her feel any better. Ducky raised her hand to her forehead, trying to stop her own sobbing and to comfort the younger children.

"Greentail was told to stay here as well and you all saw-ded what happened to her. We must stay here and hope for the best, we do." She said, Ruby's last words to her lingering within her mind. She hated feeling this useless as always before, she had been able to be of some help to her friends. From her serving as the bait for the sharptooth to her ability to cheer up her friends, she had felt like she was needed but now, she was just a useless burden in a terrible adventure she had never wanted to be a part of. That feeling was a crushing one for her and the absence of her brother made the emptiness even worse. However, the fastrunners weren't willing to give up on their case just yet.

"But if the worst happens, we'll be without mommy, daddy and Ruby and Chomper's parents will still likely want to kill us two! Ruby has told us so much about your adventures, Ducky, so surely you will be able to do something! Please, we beg you!" Orchid said as she moved in front of Ducky with wide eyes, not having anyone else to turn to but one of the dinosaurs Ruby respected and loved above everything else. Ducky returned a sad look at Orchid,, not really knowing but to say. For now, she answered in the only way her mind told her.

"Thank you for your words, Orchid, but Ruby is right. I am just a small swimmer and there's nothing I could do in a fight against sharpteeth and others halfteeth. I would want to help you but there is no reason for us to just go there to get killed, no, no, no." She said, nearly resigned to her despair. Ruby's words had hurt her deeply especially because they were so true. Arial soon moved to her brother's side to address the swimmer.

"But there's nothing for us left if we do nothing. We two should have been unable to do nothing against a group of any sharpteeth but we helped mommy, daddy and Ruby beat a group of longbeaks! We can and we have to help them, no matter what! We know you know it as well! You would have done anything to help Spike, wouldn't you?" She asked, earning a sad but surprised look from the swimmer. She hadn't expected the duo to know about his brother but inside, she knew Arial was right. Even if a sharptooth had come to try to devour the spiketail's already dead remains, Ducky knew she would have fought to the very end for him. Inside, she was heartened by the reaction of the two children, not even having expected them. She sighed deeply as she answered those words.

"You are right about that, yep, yep, yep. I would never want to lose Ruby either, not even after everything that has happened. You were right all along after all!" She cried, suddenly rising from her sitting position, facing the two fastrunners with a pained and decisive look. She had always given her all for her friends and she would continue to do so even if Ruby wouldn't want it. Orchid looked at the swimmer in surprise, a deep look of excitement apparent on his face.

"Do you really mean it, Ducky? Are you really going to help Ruby?" He asked, earning an uncharasterically grim nod from the swimmer. She cast a quick look at both of the omnivores before spoking in a silent voice.

"I certainly am. Now, here is what I am planning to do do…"

* * *

A feeling of dread and disgust had already lingered for a short while within Detras' chest as he headed towards Stealth as the sailback had commanded. Growing nausea was making itself known within his mind as he looked at the dozens of broken corpses around him. He had seen bloodshed more times than he cared to remember but he hadn't before found himself in the middle of a large battle such as this one. He couldn't find it in himself to be horrified or saddened by any of it but he would have lied if he said that something in the horror of it all didn't touch him deeply.

However, far more profoundly in his mind lingered the knowledge about how the battle around him was developing. He could see that Dein and Terri had lost more followers than Stealth had and they were now severely outnumbered. However, that knowledge hardly made him feel any better as he looked at Dein's form that was quickly approaching from the horizon. Once the two-footers reunited, it would take a miracle for the omnivore and his allies to take the sharptooth down. Even then, Stealth's voice didn't waver in the least as he yelled to his followers while trying to keep Terri at bay for a bit longer.

"Halfteeth, try to assist me in keeping Dein at bay for a bit longer! Fastbiters, take the rest of their sharpteeth out and then we'll seize the victory once and for all!" He cried, hoping against hope that his orders were at least somewhat based in reality. Detras glanced at Dein with a worried look, whispering to Jaros who was standing besides him.

"We'll never be able to stop him. Even trying to do so would be madness!" He hissed between his teeth, earning an agreeing nod from Jaros. The other male was far more fearful than Detras was and he didn't even try to hide it.

"It indeed would. But you heard the orders. We have to at least seem like we are trying to stop him, don't you think?" He asked with a slight smirk, causing Detras to frown deeply. Even if he had absolutely no respect towards Stealth, he had still learned the value of loyalty in the Mysterious Beyond and he was disappointed by Jaros' words. He was just about to answer when Charger cried to the duo in anger.

"Stop wasting any more time! We can still win but that requires you two to do something as well!" The fastbiter cried as he joined the other members of his kind in trying to take out the rest of Dein and Terri's followers. Jaros looked at the larger dinosaur in annoyance but he knew he was right so he spoke to Detras wearily.

"Well, you heard him. Let's go then, for his sake." Jaros said before he leapt off, heading towards the heart of the battle.

* * *

Guilt was the dominating emotion within Pearl's mind as she headed towards Stealth and the rest of her temporary allies. After everything she had done, she shouldn't have left Ruby out there practically alone to face the massive two-footer. She knew she had not only failed her role as Ruby's mother but also as a decent dinosaur as a whole as she thought about the struggles of her daughter and her friends.

She shuddered from both cold and guilt as she headed forward, trying to shake herself awake from such thoughts. After all, this wasn't any skirmish where she could defend Ruby like she was some helpless hatchling and Pearl wanted to believe she was able to trust Ruby at least this much. Knowing there was absolutely nothing she could do to change any of that, she tried to force herself to concentrate on the coming seconds. She heard Dein's loud footsteps thundering through the plain but she knew he had no way of catching her up in the immediate future.

Her eyes were locked more intensely on the enemy fastbiters who were in a surprising amount of disarray. She ran practically unopposed and the sight of Stealth and Terri slowly started to appear in the horizon. She was relieved about being able to escape Dein's ambush but right now, she wanted to find one certain dinosaur, one she had missed feverishly since their separation not long ago. However, that wait was long sooner than she had dared to even dream of as she heard a joyful male voice call to her.

"Pearl, I'm here, dear!" Her face immediately turned into a smile and she wasted absolutely no time turning to look at the direction of the call. This fight had just taken a turn for the better even if its conclusion could still turn all of that into pure sorrow.

Detras looked at the female in the distance with a pleading look, hating the fact that he simply couldn't head towards her and leave his formation with the rest of Stealth's followers. His heart swelled as he saw the other dinosaur starting to approach him but even then, Dein was also drawing closer by the second and the best chance to try to stop him was quickly approaching. His only option was to continue with the battle and wait for Pearl to reach him as soon as possible. He felt himself being torn apart by his duty and his love but he had to trust Pearl enough to believe she'd catch him soon enough. The fastrunner frowned deeply as he saw three of the omnivores starting to head towards the sharptooth with a frozen vine, clearly hoping to trip him.

However, that effort ended practically as well as one could expect. Dein snorted in clear disgust before he quickly jumped to his side, gutting two of the halfteeth with one strike. Yet, the third one was able to use this tiny opening to her advantage and she opened another gaping wound into the sharptooth's thigh. The female was able to dodge the following counterattack only barely. However, the growing chaos around the predator confirmed to Dein that the time to strike was now. He turned to Jaros and other dinosaurs around him and called in a loud voice.

"Let's go, now! This is the best opportunity we're going to get!"

* * *

Dein cursed deeply as another one of his strikes failed to hit its target. Waves of pain radiated from everywhere within his body as more and more wounds were being delivered on him. This battle wasn't going nearly as well as he had expected but even then, he wasn't going to be hindered by these cursed halfteeth! He suddenly kicked another one far away from himself while using his tail to send another one flying into the ground. He would take these fools out one by one if he had to.

* * *

It was clear to Detras that each of the omnivores was trembling with fear but at least for now, their courage was enough to withstand panic from overcoming their senses completely. Detras himself looked with wide eyes at the towering sharpteeth above himself but knew better than to flee now. They were buying precious seconds for Charger and the others to take out the rest of the two-footers' allies and for that end, it would be worth it to sacrifice a few more fastrunners.

He grinned as he managed to land another hit to Dein's leg but suddenly, the latter turned around and took out another one of the enemies while forcing the rest of them to a highly unfavorable line position. Before any of them could even think about what was going on, two of the fastbiters ran towards the omnivores and sliced three of their throats wide open. Detras' eyes widened in fear as he realized that if he was only a bit more unlucky, he would have been on his journey to the Great Beyond by now. However, the attack wasn't over just yet and he frowned deeply as he noticed one of the attackers approaching Jaros.

Despite the short time they had known each other, Detras had learned to somewhat respect the other male and he certainly didn't want to see him eviscerated by one of Dein's mindless pawns. Jaros tried to fight back against the sharptooth but obviously he had no way of surviving the encounter without help. He was almost resigned to his death by the time Detras had managed to slip out of the predator's line of sight and attack him from his back.

The omnivore grinned deeply as he hit a blow after blow against the fastbiters' back, feeling the spine starting to fail under his endless attacks. The carnivore screeched in pain as he tried to finish the smaller dinosaur's attack for good. However, that fight ended quickly as Jaros moved towards the pained dinosaur and tore his right hand deep into his throat. The sharptooth gave a weak gurgling sound before it fell into the ground, the last vestiges of life leaving his body quickly. Jaros panted deeply as he looked at Detras, his voice shuddering in shock a he spoke to the other omnivore.

"You… you saved me life, damnit! I guess I have… no choice but to thank you." He said, trying to understand what had just happened. However, before Detras could give his answer, he heard a female voice speak to him in clear relief.

"You did well, dear, but we have to go now! The others are… they are dead!" The male's heart swelled as he finally saw Pearl approaching him, happy to finally have her back at his side. He hated the fact that he had been forced to test his luck while she was trying to make her way to him through these grim killing fields. but he had his duty. He tried to catch his breath as he looked around himself. Indeed, the two-footer's maneuver had allowed his surviving allies to surprise the omnivores and only a handful of them remained, nowhere near enough for them to even dream of taking down a sharptooth like Dein. He gave a brief smile to Pearl while waving the few survivors to follow him.

"At the very least you are still here and Dein is getting hurt quite badly. We have to rally around Stealth and hope the fastbiters will be able to turn the tide in our favor! Besides, Ruby is still out there and I'm sure she will be able to help us as well." Detras said with a smile and dashing off once again. Pearl looked at him with a bothered look, hoping she'd have the time to inform him of what had happened earlier but for now, they'd have to focus on saving themselves. With a deep sigh, she followed her mate on yet another withdrawal.

* * *

However, if Detras had been there to witness her first meeting with Dein today, he would have been far more distrusting of Ruby's help. The girl followed the course of the battle alone, only her tears and the sickening, haunting feeling in her stomach accompanying her. None of this felt real anymore: ever since Greentail's death and Yarel's escape, she had felt like she was following all of the events through some heavy wall of hard water, even her head feeling completely empty. She still couldn't believe any of it had actually happened but even then, none of it mattered right now. Now, the only thing that mattered was to try to help her parents survive this struggle, no matter the cost.

A look of despair rose on Ruby's face as he looked at Stealth's allies' withdrawal, knowing just how unlikely their victory would be at this point. The only good thing that had happened were Dein's injuries that were getting increasingly serious by the second. Even then, it would take a miracle if Stealth could defend himself from the two-footers for even a short while but Ruby wasn't one to give up just yet. She was ready to walk her path to the end even without anyone on her side no matter how badly it hurt her. With a deep sigh, she dashed after the combatants, waiting for the right time to strike.

* * *

"This is as close as you two can come with me. I'll have to continue alone from now on, I do." Ducky said as she listened to the voices of the dead and the injured not far behind her. She was beyond devastated by them but even then, she had found her courage for the first time since Spike's passing. Orchid looked at the swimmer oddly, clearly worried by what would follow.

"Alright, Ducky. J… just make your effort count." He mumbled, not really finding anything better to say. The girl smiled at him, not able to help but find Orchid and Arial's loyalty towards their family as anything but admirable. She knew she would have given her all to her own mother and siblings as well but she hadn't been able to see such acts of courage from dinosaurs as young as the two fastrunners before except… A warm smile appeared on the swimmer's face as she realized she and her friends couldn't have been any older when they first reached the Valley. Ducky spoke to Orchid warmly as she prepared to dash off on her own.

"I'll do my very best, I will! You two stay safe as well. I don't want to tell it to Ruby if anything happened to either of you. Good luck, Orchid and Arial!" She said as she turned to head into the woods alone but before she could get any further, she was interrupted by Arial one more time.

"You won't have to do that, Ducky! We'll make sure all ends well, I promise!" She cried, causing a slight frown appear on Ducky's face. Once, she would have been heartened by those words but now, she saw them only as overconfidence created by the younger girl's inexperience. A sick feeling crept into her stomach but there was no turning back now. She merely nodded at Arial before she finally headed into the gloomy forest. Arial looked after her with a slightly bothered look, slightly saddened by that parting of the ways. She had learned to like Ducky greatly and she had been instrumental in keeping her spirits up even today. She slowly turned at Orchid and spoke in a bothered voice.

"Let's go, Orchid. Mommy and daddy need us now!" She whispered to which Orchid could only agree. He spoke in an equally meek voice which he didn't even try to hide.

"You're right, Arial. Let's also show Ruby that she doesn't have to do everything alone." He said before the duo turned to face the scene of the battle and heading towards the eye of the storm.

* * *

"You still haven't been able to take that pitiful sailback out, Terri? I'm beyond disappointed in you!" Dein cried with a slight smirk as she stopped by her mate's side, willing to tease her a bit before finishing this battle once and for all. The female looked at him in clear anger, not really on the mood to argue with the dinosaur whose fault it was that they hadn't already slaughtered at least Detras.

"At least I didn't get battered by a group of fastrunners like you did! Now, help me slaughter this bastard so we can get over all of this!" She spoke, causing Dein to roll his eyes briefly. The two then turned to face Stealth who couldn't deny the deep fear starting to rise within his chest. His plan had failed miserably and he hadn't been able to even take Terri out before Dein's arrival! He knew perfectly well that his position was now nearly a hopeless one and that fact didn't make him feel any better. Right now, there was no reason to see victory as a reasonable outcome for this fight but he wouldn't give up as long as he drew breath. He looked at the two sharpteeth, hissing to them in rage.

"This isn't over yet, murderers! I promise you that both of you will lie lifeless in the ground when the Bright Circle sets in the evening!" He cried even if he knew the chances of that happening were decreasing by the second. He knew that time wouldn't work in his favor today and he attempted to use Dein's injuries to his advantage before it would be too late. He suddenly jumped towards him and tried to go for his throat but before he could deal his blow, Terri kicked him on his right side, sending him flying into the ground. As he felt Dein starting to dig into his flesh, the sailback knew his chances of prevailing were nearing zero.

* * *

Inside, Detras didn't feel any pity at the sharptooth as he tried to struggle against the two-footers' attacks. Watching the pompous fool getting beaten made him grin somewhat as each of the wounds he received was well-earned. However, no matter how much he wanted to see Stealth suffer, he still needed his help against Dein and Terri and because of that, he knew he needed to act before Stealth's life would be snuffed out for good. He turned to look at Pearl and spoke to her urgently.

"We have to help him get up or it's all over! We can't help him head into the Great Beyond just yet!" He yelled at the female who immediately nodded back at him. She shared his sentiments completely and she was ever bit as repulsed by the thought of helping Stealth as the male was. Her voice was a low one as she spoke, her thoughts partially fixed on the other, smaller battles around her. They, too, were taking a turn for the worse but right now, only the two large sharpteeth mattered.

"You're right, dear. If we can't get rid of them now, we'll never get a chance again. We have to take one of them down or we'll fight a losing battle. But we have to hurry if we wish to save him!" She cried, waving the male to follow her to face the two massive beasts, hoping that she wouldn't only be marching to her own death.

* * *

A deep sigh escaped Ducky's mouth as she looked at the sight below her. The sight of the two predators preparing to finish off Stealth was a horrifying one for the swimmer but she knew well enough that she couldn't begin to hesitate now. She was slightly taken back by the fact that she still didn't have any idea about where Ruby was but at the very least she could well see where her parents were. The swimmer gave a brief smile as he noticed that the tree she was sitting in hadn't shed its leaves, which looked more like small spikes, into the ground. That fact would hide her for at least a while as she prepared to execute her plan.

The girl cringed as she looked at the pile of large, sharp rocks she had carried with her into the tree, hoping that she could use one of them to blind or at least seriously harm the eyes of the two predators and thus give Stealth and the others a chance to beat them. The thought seriously injuring another dinosaur was a disgusting one for the swimmer but she knew just what the stakes were in this battle. She could blame herself later but for now, she simply wanted to help Ruby in her hour of need. She could apologize to Chomper later on but Ruby was still here with her whereas Chomper wasn't.

Trying to cast those morbid thoughts from her mind, he raised the first stone into the air, looking at Dein's frantic movement and hoping she'd get at least one lucky shot at her. The swimmer aimed carefully for a few seconds before throwing the rock, praying she'd be of at least some help in this struggle.

* * *

Dein growled in annoyance as Stealth fought off his attacks one by one even in his desperate position. Slowly, he came to understand just why her pawns had called him such a difficult dinosaur to catch and kill. Even if the male hated the thought of giving any honors to his enemies, he had to admit Stealth had proven himself to be a real fighter. But it wouldn't help him for long. The sharptooth smiled viciously as he prepared for another attack but before he could launch it, he felt a stinging pain next to his left nostril.

The sharptooth snorted sternly, not really giving the hit much thought. It had to be just some cursed buzzer and it wouldn't be worth it to allow such things to delay Stealth's demise. But before he could charge against Stealth, he felt another similar hit near the corner of his eyes and at that point, he promptly turned around, willing to get to the bottom of this annoying turn of events. He eyes the trees around him with wary eyes but before he realized, it was too late.

* * *

The swimmer couldn't believe her luck as she saw Dein turning to look at her. She didn't even realize just how absurd it was for her to be happy that a mighty murderous beast stared right at her, preparing to crush her tiny body to pieces. But right now, she couldn't care less as this was her only way to help Ruby and her family. Just as the predator started to dash towards the tree she was hiding in, Ducky threw the rock with all her might… and it Dein's right eye right in the middle.

The sharptooth cried as the wave of pain dashed through him. He knew that one rock wasn't enough to completely ruin his eye but it certainly would take time before it could recover from that hit. Suddenly, he saw Ducky herself preparing to throw another stone but she was more than determined to stop her. As he prepared to finish this tiny nuisance, Terri cried to him in clear outrage.

"Get back here at once, Dein! Come help me keep this bastard at bay!" She called to the male but he wasn't going to listen to her right now. Certainly even she could keep one sailback at bay for long a small moment? The sharptooth gritted his teeth in annoyance as he kicked the tree with all his might, his claws tearing deep into its interior. He looked at the tree's swaying in slight eagerness, knowing the swimmer couldn't linger in there for too long. He still remembered the smaller dinosaur's face from their previous two encounters and deep down, he was only happy to take out another of Ruby's friends. Maybe even the cursed fastrunner herself would soon show herself…

* * *

The swimmer gritted her teeth in growing fear as the branch she was sitting on started to shudder more violently by the second. Only now did she realize the depth of the danger she had put herself in as before she had somehow thought that her position would keep her safe from the two-footers. Now, however, she started to feel her grip on the branch starting to slowly slip. A look of fear rose to her face as she looked at the predator's murderous face staring at her, his massive teeth only waiting to crush her entire body for good.

A few sobs could be heard as Ducky realized this would be her end. She couldn't escape without dropping into the ground nor could she linger here forever. Either option would end in her demise sooner than later, a thought that made her shiver in sorrow and horror. She had only just found one of her old friends and now the merciless fate was separating the two once again. None of it was fair, it wasn't! Yet, at the very least Ducky knew her sacrifice would be worth more than many others' on this day.

* * *

The fastrunner's awe had turned into shock as she had followed her friend's actions. She had been more than impressed that she had bought Stealth more time and that she had been able to damage his sight at least temporarily but all of that had disappeared from her mind the moment she saw the swimmer's helplessness under the counterattack. Her eyes widened in horror as she looked at Ducky tying herself into the branch, knowing it was her last effort to escape the inevitable.

A deep frown formed her face as she crept closer to Ducky's tree through the dead bushes, accompanied by clear disappointment. Why couldn't anyone simply follow her orders? First Greentail had gotten herself killed without good reason and now Ducky was taking that same path? The fastrunner would have cursed her heart out by that realization weren't it for her worry for her friend.

Even now, she loved Ducky practically as her own sister and even if her confidence in her had dwindled after realizing the huge weaknesses of her kind. Swimmers were a mere burden in fights like these but after her time in the Valley, she'd never look at Ducky as merely a member of her kind. She was just… Ducky. Her beloved friend, the sweetest dinosaur around as well as her last link to her lost, happy past. Only now did she realize how much she still cared for Ducky and no matter what, she'd ensure her survival through this battle.

* * *

Her grip was starting to slip more and more by the second and the green swimmer realized that her time to decide was quickly approaching. She could simply stay here and eventually drop into the sharptooth's gaping maw or she could take matters into her own hands one last more and try to buy at least a few more seconds for Stealth and the others. At this point, that was all her life was worth anymore. The swimmer suddenly realized how very unlike herself those thoughts were but it couldn't be helped now. These past weeks had required everyone else to change around her so there was no way she could resist doing so either. She took a deep breath before she jumped into the nothingness, hoping she'd still be alive by the time she reached the ground.

It was only a couple of seconds before the swimmer felt herself sinking into the ground sparkles and as she felt the cold embrace her completely, she knew she was still alive. Knowing she had no time to waste, the girl glanced above herself… only to see herself glancing into Dein's dreadful eyes. As the predator slowly showed his teeth, Ducky let out a horrified screech and tried to run away, only to trip immediately as her feet sank into the ground sparkles again.

Tears started falling from the swimmer's eyes as she attempted to turn around to gaze right into her doom. Ducky could only whimper hysterically as she saw Dein let out a horrifying screech right at her, raising his hands to impale the annoying pipsqueak for good. She slowly curled into a ball, weeping against her knees as she prepared for the inevitable. Amidst her sobs could be heard desperate sounds that would have broken the heart of any other dinosaur but Dein or his mate.

"I'm so sorry, mommy and daddy… I did my best to return to you! I'm so sorry for I've done… But Spike, Petrie… the others… I'm there with you in a better place soon enough…" She whimpered, not wanting to look at the claws that would soon crush her body to pieces…

* * *

A deep look of horror could be seen on Ruby's face as she ran forward with all her might. The entire world seemed to freeze still as he looked at the encounter of the swimmer and the sharptooth. She couldn't help but admire Ducky's bravery but even then, all of that would soon be meaningless if she wasn't quick enough. Her heart pounded as she looked at Dein's claw drawing closer to Ducky… but it would only be a few seconds before she'd reach her friend all would be well again…

* * *

The last moments of her life passed agonizingly slowly for Ducky as her life flashed before her eyes. She only wished she'd have more time with everyone dear to her but it couldn't be helped. Only a little more and… Suddenly, the small dinosaur's eyes flashed open as she felt herself being pulled from the ground with a strong force.

Ruby sighed a breath of relief as he raised Ducky from the ground, for a while not having believed in her ability to save her herself. Now, she'd only have to get away from here and carry her friend to safety and… Suddenly, a horrifying pain flashed through the fastrunner's body, one she had never felt before. She let out an ear-piercing cry of agony as she turned to look after her, not stopping her moment for a second. The girl felt her heart jumping into her throat as she saw what had happened.

Dein had finished his trike but instead of Ducky, his claws had hit her tail, ripping a third of it completely off. The sight of her ruined tail would haunt Ruby for many Cold Times to come but for some reason, her mind remained fixed on what she was doing. With tears of pain flowing from her eyes, she put Ducky on her back, crying to her urgently.

"Whatever you do, Ducky, don't let off from my feathers for a second! I'll get you out of here!" She cried, dashing away as quickly as he only could amidst the ground sparkles.

* * *

Her eyes widened greatly as Ducky tried to understand everything that had just happened. She was still alive, saved by Ruby of all dinosaurs. At first, she was going to thank her to her best ability but the fastrunner's cry was more horrifying than pretty much anything she had ever heard. The swimmer's heart nearly broke as she heard Ruby's agony and as the larger dinosaur placed her on her back, Ducky couldn't help but look at the omnivore's stub of a tail with wide, teary eyes.

Her friend had saved her even at a horrible risk to herself and she had payed for it dearly. A certain look of relief swelled within her even in the middle of it all. Even after their previous fight, she had still come here to risk her life for the sake of her friend. Ducky smiled deeply, Ruby's concern for her washing much of her earlier mental turmoil away. Maybe it had been a blessing he hadn't died alongside Spike after all.

* * *

The sharptooth looked at the escaping duo in shock, not expecting them to be able to trick him once more. He had abandoned his duty alongside his mate and he had nothing to show for it! At this pace, not only would he turn out to be a complete joke to Terri but also to everyone else in the Mysterious Beyond. He suddenly raised his voice and cried in cold rage.

"Stop that bastard from escaping, now! She must not be able to escape again!"

* * *

Detras' eyes widened as one of the sharpteeth fighting Charger suddenly turned around, disengaging from the fight without any clear reason. Sure, he had heard Dein's frantic cry but he hadn't been able to tell just his words but apparently they were something that would give him and Pearl at least some reprieve. He turned to look after the fastbiter before seeing one dinosaur he hadn't expected to see out there: his beloved daughter. His heart sank as he realized that it was Ruby who was the new target of the predators, slowly starting to understand what was going on. Apparently she had done something that had enraged Dein and now the sharptooth was preparing to end this enmity once and for all. She turned at her mate and cried to her in a frantic voice.

"It's Ruby, dear! We have to go help her, now!" He yelled, at first earning a confused look from the female. Pearl's heart sank as she saw the same as her mate even if she knew that neither of the omnivores had a choice at this point. They simply couldn't allow Ruby to die like this, no matter the cost or Stealth's bitterness afterwards. For a moment, her heart skipped a beat as saw Orchid and Arial helping one of their allies in overpowering one fastrunner, not having expected to see them here. She was instinctually heading to protect them but suddenly, she remembered what her real mission was right now. Knowing she'd have to trust the duo a bit longer in this critical moment, she nodded at the male, giving him the only answer she could.

"Lead the way, Detras. But we must not waste any time!"

* * *

"Please, it just can't end like this! It simply cannot!" Ruby cried as she looked at the predators who were quickly cutting her possible escape routes one by one. No matter how many turns she took, it seemed like another fastbiter would appear of nowhere to block it. Ruby could only hear her own heart beating from her growing despair and the indescribable pain from her bleeding tail. A wide trail of red in the ground sparkles was left behind the omnivore as she tried her best to escape to safety. However, it wasn't long before she was forced to stop completely as another sharptooth completed the ring around her. Ruby fought back a tear as she whispered to her friend.

"I… I think this is the end for us, Ducky. I pray it weren't but if I knew how to get away from this mess, I'd tell it without any hesitating!" She said as she slowly started to back down, looking as the sharpteeth drew closer.

Ducky looked at that sight in disbelief, not able to believe what was happening. She had been saved from Dein, only for her to die at the claws of his underlings alongside with Ruby. Yet, in the end, that wasn't the worst possible fate as at least she'd have someone on her side on the journey to the next life which was far better than simply freezing to death, alone and forgotten. She took a warm smile and locked eyes with Ruby while speaking to her warmly.

"That' okay, Ruby. I am just so very, very happy you came to save me. I am just sad you had to go through this because of me, I really am." She said, causing the fastrunner to lower her eyebrows contently, clearly not one regret present with her mind. She nodded at the swimmer before speaking to her silently.

"That's alright, Ducky. I could never have left you out there, no matter what. I'm just glad to be here with…" She spoke but before she could finish the sentence, she heard a frantic cry.

"Ruby, come here, now! The way is clear!" Those words caused the girl's eyes to grow wide as she turned to look at their source. One fastbiter lied dead in the ground, taken out by Ruby's parents. The fastrunner didn't waste one second before doing as she was told. If there was any hope left of escaping this mess, she'd take it without second thought. She had never sprinted that quickly in her entire life as not only was she defending herself and Ducky, that opening also seemed like a pathway to the future for the distressed fastrunner.

* * *

Many curses escaped Terri's mouth as she looked at the battle around her. Not only had Stealth managed to regain his ground in this duel but Dein's moronic order to call the smaller sharpteeth to help him trap Ruby had also given their enemies a far better chance to prevail. Right now, the female would have given anything for a chance to rip her own mate to pieces as her hate towards him seemed to grow stronger by the second. Her situation wasn't helped when Stealth taunted her with a clearly sneering voice.

"It seems neither you nor mate are even distantly worth your reputation, Terri! I'm really starting to wonder what kinds of weaklings you've fought before!" He cried as he dodged another of the two-footer's attacks. The female spat into the ground, increasingly frustrated by her inability to break the impasse. Stealth was a far tougher opponent than those she had usually faced before and his resilience was almost unnatural. If Dein was here, the sailback would already lie dead in the ground but right now, she was only embarrassing herself. She'd never lose to the smaller predator but neither was she able to overpower him.

Suddenly, she heard Detras' cry nearby, the course of events quickly becoming clearer for her. Blind hate filled her mind as she heard the omnivore's voice, her own frustration and the knowledge that all of this was Detras' fault. She knew she'd have to lock Stealth in this duel but on the other hand, it didn't seem like she'd be able to get anything done against him. In a moment of utter rage and bitterness, the female suddenly cried at Stealth before turning around and disengaging from the fight.

"Relish these moments, Stealth, as any hopes you have of prevailing are utter folly." She cried before quickly turning around, preparing to slaughter the dinosaur whose treachery had taken her son away from her and whose fault all of these weeks of chasing were.

* * *

"Keep them at bay for a little longer, dear! She's almost here!" Pearl cried as she did her best to dodge the fastbiters' attack as best as she could. Seconds passed slowly but soon enough, Ruby will be here and at that point, they'd all be able to escape to safety. It wouldn't be long now and they'd be together once again…

The omnivore cringed as she received another deep wound from the predator, cringing at having to be forced into skirmishes like these. Fighting a fastbiter was always a losing battle for a halftooth but they could delay their advance for a time. And in a situation like this, time was all she needed. Only a few moments more…

Detras heard his mate's call and his thoughts were highly similar to those of the female's. He was bleeding from practically everywhere but he hardly felt his wounds as he thought about survival. He'd be able to take dozens of more injuries before it'd prevent him from protecting his own family and even then, he'd fight to his dying breath. For the first time in ages, he felt like he was fighting for a just cause instead of some trade that would only buy him some short-term relief and forcing some fool to pay for that relief with their life. He smiled as he realized that simple fact, allowing himself to allow the thrill of the battle to take over this one time… not knowing that that would be the worst mistake of his entire life.

"Daddy, look out, now! Please, daddy, listen to me!" He suddenly heard Ruby cry in horror but by the time Detras realized what was happening, it was already too late. The male's eyes widened in fear as he saw Terri's massive form bow next to him, the sounds of her approach dented by his own duel with the fastbiter. Detras tried to turn away and run for his life but before he got the chance to do so, he felt himself being thrown into the ground, held in place by the sharptooth's claws. Detras' eyes widened with fear as he felt the predator sink her claws deeper into his back but suddenly, that torture eased for a second. The fastrunner felt his blood run cold as Terri whispered to his ear.

"At last, you will pay for everything you ever did, halftooth scum! I hope you'll suffer forever in whatever place I'll send you, Detras!" She cried, the end of those words signaling to the omnivore that his days were numbered. At the very least he had been able to start repaying his debt to his family and bought them a chance to live on. In the end, he did deserve this end, didn't he? Detras took on one, last breath before Terri suddenly impaled the fastrunner with her claws, crushing his innards to pieces.

* * *

The moment her father's blood burst into the air was one that seemed to burn to Ruby's mind. She simply couldn't tear her gaze away from the calm yet regretful expression that still could be seen on his face as his body finally stopped moving. All coherent thoughts stopped within the girl but some instinct forced her to continue her escape as she didn't want to waste her father's sacrifice. She tried to call to him but her voice died down within her throat as she saw the satisfied look on Terri's face. Suddenly, the girl's sorrow turned into blind rage as she cried at the predator.

"I will not let you get away with this, monster! I will make you regret what you did to daddy before the end! You will see that soon enough!" She cried as she started to shudder, never before having felt as powerless and enraged. Terri's disgusted snort infuriated her even further but right now, Ruby knew she'd never be a match to the towering vessel of death before her.

* * *

Pearl nearly fell into the ground as the pain within her chest nearly incapacitated her completely. From the corner of her eye, she noticed one of Stealth's fastbiters took her opponent out but none of that seemed to matter. She fell into her knees, looking into the white ground as tears started falling from her eyes. She had always known the day when she'd have to bid farewell to her beloved mate would come but… not like this! Not yet!

The memories of twenty-five Cold Times flowed through the fastrunner's eyes as she lied in the ground, all coherent thoughts absent for her mind. The times good and the bad, sorrow and joy… she had shared everything with Detras. When she had felt powerless and weak, it had been he who had helped him through it. He had nearly always been the best father her children could have asked for and it seemed to her like it was some cruel joke it had been one of his few mistakes that had finally got one of the brightest mind of the Mysterious Beyond. She was suddenly awakened from her thoughts by the only dinosaur who could do so.

"Let's get away from here, mommy! We've got to…" Ruby started but before she got further, she noticed something that made her teary eyes grow wide.

* * *

Stealth used the opening to his advantage and he spared no risk to himself as he charged against the larger dinosaur. Terri thought she had managed to stop his attack by parrying his first hits but without any fear, Stealth leapt upon her, intent on felling her to the ground. Terri cringed at that attack and managed to tear a long, gaping wound all across the sailback's right side. Stealth seemed to pay no attention to the new injury, instead deciding to go on with the plan he knew would win him this duel finally. He already grinned as he felt Terri's resistance finally fail.

A horrifying screech could be heard as Terri's lower back was impaled by a wide branch that was sticking out of the ground, the sharptooth's blood immediately starting to spill everywhere around her. Terri forced herself back to her feet without any extra waiting, trying not to ignore as much of the pain as she simply could. She panted deeply as she looked at Stealth, trying to put on a brave face even if she knew the tide of the battle had turned for good.

"Now you've really done it, sailback… However, you are still going down today!"

That sight suddenly made Dein realize something he had managed to ignore until now. His and his mate's fortunes in this battle were going from bad to worse, all because of his earlier lack of judgement. The male cursed deeply as he started to rush towards his mate, determined to do whatever he could to make up for his terrible mistake. Terri had been right all along: he had done nothing but mistakes in the past weeks and because of this, both of them were going to lose their faces… or worse.

* * *

Stealth's surprise maneuver caused Ruby's mind to snap out of its sorrow for a moment. She could see that the sharptooth's fight had just become far more forced and painful and for the first time, it was clear that the sailback was taking the initiative. Even now, Ruby knew that the only thing that made her care about such things was revenge. Revenge against the one who had robbed her father away for him. From the corner of her eye, she could see Orchid and Arial stare at the scene with stunned eyes after most likely having helped the others to take down some of Dein and Terri's allies. Ruby's hand turned into a fist as she headed towards the scene of the battle, knowing she'd have to do this after everything that had happened. She heard her mother's voice call to her as she moved quickly forward.

"Ruby, come back here back at once! I can't lose you as well today! Please, just come back to me!" She cried, clearly begging for Ruby to return. The girl, however, didn't even bother to answer, seeing her moment arriving quickly. Terri clearly heard her approach but Stealth was pressuring her badly enough to prevent her from doing much about it. The fastrunner picked a large rock from the ground, starting beat the predator's ankle with all her force. She frowned deeply as Terri did her best to do the same to her that Dein had done to Greentail but her injuries slowed her movements down just enough. Soon enough the mighty sharptooth would come crashing down.

* * *

That fact wasn't a secret even to Terri and the female started to feel fear starting to grow within her chest. She couldn't escape anymore and she had no way of even defending herself from Stealth anymore. Dein was rushing to her help but she could feel her powers diminishing by the second. Her world started to slowly spin around as more and more blood left her body. Even worse her ankle would soon have to give up under Ruby's frantic attacks. It was finally becoming clear to the sharptooth that she wasn't going to win the battle after all.

* * *

That same realization wasn't lost on Ruby either. Terri's movements were growing more forced by the second and she was even starting to waver slightly. While Stealth was also covered in cuts and by his own blood, none of them were life-threatening and his fatigue was only starting to settle in. However, at this point, Ruby couldn't care less about the sailback, only the image of his father filling her broken mind. He'd take this monster out, no matter the cost and avenge her father in the only way possible. Ruby's cry was a frantic one as she prepared to send one, final blow at the predator's ankle.

"Here's for daddy, killer! I hope Chomper can finally make you see that everything you did was against what he would have wanted!" Ruby cried, smiling as she heard an audible crack in the beast's ankle as the rock collided with it. Terri let out a loud cry as she fell to her knees, knowing she'd never again rise to her full height… that she'd never walk again. Even if she somehow lived through this battle, a sharptooth with a broken leg was as good as a dead sharptooth. However, the full truth wasn't yet known to Dein whose call reached the female's ears shortly.

"Hold on for a few moments longer, Terri! I'm there soon!" He cried but those words only made the female cringe in hate. This was all his fault and without him and his failures, they would already be enjoying from their victory but now… now she could only stare at Stealth's triumphant face before her.

A wide, cruel smile rose to the sailback's face as he looked at the two-footer before him. She was at his mercy and he regretted the fact that the battle was still going on as during many nights, he had only waited for a chance to make the two sharpteeth suffer as he had. In any case, now he had at least the chance to avenge Sprinter and Whiteclaw and his countless seasons of fear and agony. Slowly, Stealth leaned towards the other predator and whispered to her in a disgusted, hate-filled voice.

"I promised you I'd get you and your pathetic mate before my days were numbered, Terri, and I kept my word! I am sorry I have to let you go this easily but I still have work to do! Say hello to mother and father for me." He said as he sank his claws into the larger predator's throat, relishing the feeling of tearing her vital arteries to pieces.

Even then, Terri locked eyes one last time with her killer, defiant to her last moment. She knew Dein would follow her shortly and after that, she'd make sure his journey to the Great Beyond would be a painful one. However, one thought replaced her hate during those seconds, one that she had kept in her heart even now. She saw one blue sharptooth within he mind as her consciousness started to fail her.

"Chomper… I'm sorry for… fail…" She started to speak with her last strength but before she could finish, her body fell into the ground for the last time.

* * *

The young fastrunner could only stare at the dead sharptooth, emptiness starting to fill her soul as the rage started to die away. Terri was gone but… but so was her father as well. She had kept her threat of making the female sharptooth pay for everything but… but right now, all of that seemed so very worthless. Tears started to flow down her cheeks as she realized she was standing alone among the falling ground sparkles, that sight mirroring her own emotions completely.

Ruby shuddered inconsolably but even then, she heard the sounds of the other sharptooth approaching her quickly. Knowing this battle still wasn't done, she locked eyes with Stealth for the first time since their first meeting, her parents' words of the sailback's motives ringing within her ears. The time of reckoning with would come but right now, she was of too little consequence to Stealth who turned his attention at Dein and cried with all his might.

"Everyone, surround him from every direction! Those who have served under Dein and Terri for two Cold Times or less, fall to your knees now and I will allow you to join my pack without any further punishment!" His words made many of his followers and former foes gasp audibly, none of them having expected to hear such an offer from the vengeful predator, especially after his words to Detras and Pearl. However, his words confirmed he'd forgive none of his old enemies and to their relief, nearly a dozen sharpteeth and omnivores fell to their knees and slowly raising their hands into the air.

That sight made Stealth snort audibly as he turned his gaze at Dein whose eyes widened in shock at the sight of what was happening. Stealth released his teeth at the larger sharptooth as he called to his old and new followers to finish this off for good.

"Well then, go help your new companions and finish him off!" He said as he started to head towards the two-footer, knowing he had to leave that attack himself or his prestige among his followers would never be the same.

* * *

That sight was more sickening to Dein than anything he had ever experienced. At this point, he couldn't care less about Terri's demise as he rather faced the enemy alone than while listening to her endless whining and attacks. Yet… this really was the end for him. He had two old allies by his side while he was facing over twenty fastbiters as well as Stealth who charged towards him with an expectant gaze. For a fleeting moment, his courage nearly failed and he was about to turn around and flee but he noticed immediately that would never succeed due to the enemy numbers and his injuries. He sighed deeply as he spoke to his remaining allies.

"Let's make this stand count, at least. Our common story deserves that much." He said to careful nods, knowing that his and his mate's names were all he had left and he'd do his best to save as much of it as possible. However, Stealth heard those words and he cried back at Dein with a nearly manic voice that dipped with triumph.

"Your names will go down only as the weaklings who lost to a lone sailback and his allies in a fight that never should have even been close! I'll make sure your legacy will only be that of shame and pity!" He cried, looking as the two first of the smaller sharpteeth started to attack the injured two-footer. Dein cursed deeply as he fought the duo off but hat left him with only a small moment to parry Stealth's first attack.

However, that duel was nowhere as close as the one with Terri. Dein's last allies were gutted in a manner of few seconds and that left the male's back entirely open to attack. He could only stare at Stealth's smug face as he felt the smaller sharpteeth starting to jump ever higher to his back, each of them getting loser and closer to his neck. Dein knew it was all over at that point as he couldn't fight Stealth and defend himself from the fastbiters at the same time. He looked Stealth in the eyes and spoke to him a trembling voice that contained nothing but despise and disgust.

"I hope you'll die a slow and horrifying death one day, Stealth! My only regret is that I ever let your parents live long enough for you to ever exist in the first place!" He cried, feeling as the smaller predators on his back were getting ever closer to ending his battle for good. Stealth gave the other male a warm smile as he addressed his remaining nemesis one more time.

"I, on the other hand, have had many regrets in my days but this day will never be one of them, Dein. Get away from my eyes!" He said as he suddenly hit the larger sharptooth in his stomach while one of the fastbiters finally tore a gaping hole into his neck. Stealth smiled as he looked at fear forming on the larger dinosaur's face as his lifeblood quickly left his body. The sailback's heart swelled as the other male slowly fell into the ground while drawing his last, forced breath. Dein gazed at the other carnivore with his last moments, cursing the day he had ever met Sprinter and Whiteclaw in the first place. Bitterness and failure to avenge his son were the last emotions he felt before his consciousness failed him for the last time.

The battle was over and with it, the bloody lives of two of the most feared sharpteeth of the Mysterious Beyond.

* * *

 **These events concluded one of the longest-standing plotlines of this story but at the same time, opened new ones. Will we see Yarel again, how will Ruby and her family recover and what is Stealth going to do now? This chapter got excessively long but I felt that I had to give these events the time they needed to wrap Dein and Terri's part in this fic. There were some parts I'm unsure of myself here but I hope to hear your thoughts about these momentous events as well. That being said, see you with the next chapter.**

 **TimeLordMaster108: I'm glad you liked the reunion and thanks the kind words!**

 **Anagnos: You are right about Ortin and I noticed that while writing the scene as well. I figured the scene was already too long and that we've seen enough depressed kids for a while but when it comes to Ortin, it doesn't make his character justice. About Haste, you are on the right tracks and she certainly will play a bigger role in the latter chapters. You have made some really good observations before so keep it up!**

 **DiddyKF1: Again, I'm sorry for the first scene but in addition to what I said to Anagnos, I also wished to also show a little that Ortin actually was a little relieved by what happened because for the first time, he was free of Peak and even his grandmother had ruined her memory within his eyes. He was mourning but he also realized he was better off now.**

 **I'm afraid I can't give away too much about the trio's future with Lenel but I can promise you they'll meet again. Petrie certainly is realizing the dark forces Pterano had tied himself to by following Lenel but he knows none of that matters anymore. It's great to hear you liked the ending as I feared it came too out of nowhere but apparently it worked. There certainly is much to go through for the family but that will be given a lot more time later on… In any case, it's great to hear you liked the turn near the end as I was unsure of it myself!**

 **The Rhombus: It's truly surprising you feel in that way as I hadn't seen the first scene as anything special especially with the issue with Ortin. But you are completely right with both your comments about the scene and they really know they have only each other (thought that changed quickly for Petrie). And yes, Glide's last link to her parents is broken though that is something she doesn't particularly regret.**

 **As for the reunion, I hope I can do justice to that scene as there will be high stakes emotionally for everyone involved. In a way, it'll mirror much of this story as nobody knows the old Petrie better than his mother and she can see better than anyone all of the changes. As for your last comments, I'm extremely happy to hear you found this chapter that strong and that I hope that I'll be able to continue to live up to those standards!**


	43. A Brief Rest

**A Brief Rest**

A deep sigh escaped Petrie's beak as he slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the dark ceiling of the cave he and his siblings had slept in following the long and happy reunion last night. For the first time in what seemed forever, Petrie had truly slept peacefully without any hint of fear or sorrow as the presence of his family seemed to cast those sentiments into nothingness. He looked around himself with a curious look, noticing the morning was still young but despite that, his mother was still missing. However, that fact didn't bother the boy at all as he knew she most likely wanted to surprise her family happily on a day like this.

That thought alone made Petrie smile deeply as he slowly rose to a sitting position, both looking forward and dreading that what he knew would follow soon enough. His family would certainly want to hear what had happened to him but… he already dreaded how his mother would react to his news about Pterano and… and also just how his siblings would take his tale.

A slight frown rose to the boy's peak as he looked at some of his brothers and sisters, the seemingly endless days of torture a small group of them had put him through returning to his mind. The image of his older siblings doing their best to humiliate and hurt him still bringing a chilly feeling to his heart. However, he wanted to believe those days to be distant past and there was no reason to believe even his siblings would resume their sickening antics after this reunion. After all, he had been thought to be dead fore many cycles of the Night Circle and certainly even the worst his siblings had missed him at least a bit? Hopeful look rose to Petrie's face as he rose to his full height, preparing to greet the new day. However, after taking one step, his good mood died down completely.

As his foot hit the ground, the boy immediately felt it slipping in the cold ground… sending him falling straight forward... into a small, frigid, muddy pond he hadn't seen the previous evening. As the flyer felt his beak sinking into the mud and started to cough the water from his lungs away, he felt a sharp pain to his right side, followed by a cruel voice that he hadn't missed in the least.

"I'm happy to see you're still the pitiful, good-for-nothing weakling you always were, Petrie! Hopefully you didn't forget that fact while you were gone. But no worries, I'm here to remind you again." For a moment, a few tears formed in Petrie's eyes as he heard those words, the hurt of those endless days of bullying returning to his mind in full. The past weeks had been enough to cast that pain away but Donnie's memory had never truly gone away. It wasn't long before he heard another familiar but almost equally disgusting voice.

"It's more than a small wonder a flyer like you survived even an hour without momma, Petrie? Did some lonely threehorn protect you all this time while you lied in her nest whimpering?" The boy knew that that voice belonged to Terra and he closed his eyes slowly as he thought about what to answer. Even if the old pain and hurt was still there, only the boy himself knew he no longer was the Petrie Donnie and Terra had learned to know. He knew very well he could defend himself these days but… but could he gather his newfound courage against his long-time tormentors who were also his siblings? Petrie slowly turned to look at the duo and spoke with teary eyes.

"Neither of you… know what you talk about! But believe… believe me when Petrie say me can defend meself… this time…" He said in a voice which turned out to be so meek that not even a ground fuzzy would have taken it seriously. Donnie couldn't hide his amusement at those words and he nodded to Terra briefly as he started to approach his long-time victim.

"Excuse me, Petrie, but I don't believe you! You're still the same runt you always were! Terra, cool his head a bit, it seems like it's burning!" He said and before Petrie could react any further, the girl used her wings to raise a large amount of water and dropping it upon Petrie as Donnie moved closer, raising his fist.

"And now, I'll make sure you'll drop any thoughts you had of "defending" yourself. I'll just give you what you deserve…" He said as he prepared to hit Petrie in the cheek but before hit the younger male, Petrie sighed deeply as he grabbed Donnie's hand and regaining his footing. Donnie's eyes widened as he realized Petrie had managed to halt his hit. It wasn't possible! He was the strongest of his siblings while Petrie was a complete weakling! The latter's eyes widened as he growled his answer to his old nemesis.

"Petrie not fear you anymore, Donnie! If you ask me, Petrie just hope you'll drown in that stream along with…"

"What is happening here? Stop whatever you're doing, now!" Volant's voice rang through the cave, waking up all of the remaining children. The older female's eyes gleamed with disappointment and outrage as she looked at Donnie who frowned deeply before disengaging from his small fight with Petrie. Volant walked forward with shocked steps, clearly struggling to find words as she walked towards her eldest son.

"Donnie… I've been forced to punish you more times than I can remember, every time for something more disgusting than the last time. But this… THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST THING YOU'VE EVER DONE! YOUR BROTHER LITERALLY RETURNS FROM THE DEAD AND THIS IS HOW YOU GREET HIM? AFTER ALL THE SORROW AND PAIN I WENT THROUGH? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR CURSED MIND?!" She cried, not able to believe what was going on. All her life, she had hoped that Donnie would one day change but… but to see him act like this… Deep inside, she was starting to wonder whether the older child could ever change. Donnie looked at his mother for a few seconds before spitting his answer.

"As if anyone ever wanted him back. I, for one, liked it better to not have him as a burden on us others." He said to which Terra nodded and continued from.

"Indeed. We'll have many more tests ahead of us and I don't want Petrie to hold us back ever again! He was never of any use to anyone!" She yelled, causing Volant's heart to freeze immediately. To hear her own children say things like this… she had done her very best to raise them right and this was how badly she had failed? She had hoped that Petrie's return would be a joyous one but the duo had ruined everything once again. However, just as her composure was starting to break, she heard a cry which heartened her more than anything at this point.

"Piss off, you two! All of us deserve better than you two's stupidity on a day like this! And to think I once looked up to you, Donnie and Terra!" The voice belonged to Skybeak, a younger boy who had most of the time joined his two siblings in attacking Petrie. However, during his brother's absence, deep down he had realized that despite everything, he had always liked, even loved Petrie deep inside. And right now, his blood was boiling at the display before him. That sentiment was shared by Tovi who looked at the duo with murderous eyes and cried to them in a voice that dipped with hate.

"Both of you should be thrown off these cliffs with your wings tied together! Even a sharptooth is worth more than you, Donnie and Terra!" He cried, causing Petrie's expression to soften ever so slightly. Was this actually happening? Were some of his siblings… actually defending him? Especially Skybeak's words stunned him as he had once thought of him as something nearly as bad as Donnie himself. The boy looked at the larger male with a dark expression before addressing him.

"Petrie always knew you too bad to ever learn anything, Donnie, and Petrie was right. Me just happy others see it as well!" He cried to approving nods from the other children. Donnie cringed deeply as he felt the outraged, hateful stares upon himself but he would never, ever apologize to someone like Petrie. Not in this world nor in the next. He spat a bitter answer that made things even worse for him.

"I don't care what you others think but it was clear all along Petrie needed a lesson to cast away any thoughts he might have had of himself! You all know he's worth…" He started but before he could get any further, he was interrupted by a violent hit on his cheek.

"Silence, now! I will make sure you and Terra will pray for my previous punishments soon enough. I've had just enough of you two and I will leave nothing to chance this time around…" She said, her chilly words causing even Donnie's courage to fail. Petrie couldn't help but feel slight satisfaction at the situation but he didn't want this opportunity to shame he further pass away.

"Me hope so, momma, but Petrie not fear him any longer! You just a sad coward, Donnie, and me know you will never hurt Petrie again!" He said, more than happy by his ability to stop his attack earlier. Volant didn't exactly approve of those words as she didn't want the bullying to soon turn the other way around but she decided against condemning Petrie's words in a moment like this. She just took a forced sigh before speaking to the older boy in a lower but just as hateful voice.

"Stay here, Donnie, until we've got over Petrie's…" Volant started but Petrie didn't allow her to finish. The younger boy realized what his mother was about to say and cut her short as he thought about the coming discussion.

"He and Terra can listen to Petrie's story! Maybe then…" He started to speak but this time, it was Volant who interrupted him.

"Just let it be, Petrie! Donnie deserves to be punished but I'm not allowing him to say there to be despised by all of you others! I've tried to keep us as a family where no one is hated or discriminated against!" She said sternly, momentarily breaking Petrie's courage. However, he soon recovered it and spoke softly as he looked right at Donnie and Terra.

"No, me not want to attack them but… They think Petrie is just some helpless weakling! Ma… maybe me story will change some of that." He said in a stable and genuine voice, causing Volant to touch her beak with her hand. There was some wisdom to Petrie's words and after a moment, Volant finally turned at her two troublesome children and snapped at them impatiently.

"Well, follow me then, both of you! As for you others, say one word against Petrie, Donnie or Terra or you'll be in bad mess yourselves! I, for one, am interested to hear what your brother has to tell!" She cried as she headed towards the small clearing outside the cave, hoping that this day would continue without any further problems.

* * *

A slight look of impatience rose to Ortin's face as he looked at the flyer family not far before him. He was slightly eager to hear just how Petrie would portray his recent adventures but from the other hand, the boy couldn't say he was happy by any of the last night's events. Of course he was happy for Petrie but every moment he spent here raised the chances that Lenel could recover and reach the Land of the Dancing Waters unchallenged. He frowned slightly as he spoke to Glide.

"Hopefully this won't take too long. I just want to get moving before the evening!" He mumbled to his friend whose expression was more mixed. She took a slight smile as she answered but she simply couldn't deny that she was every bit as eager to move on as the male.

"So do I, Ortin. Of course Petrie wants to spend some time with his family and I'm willing to give him that but you're right. We must not tarry here for too long. I just hope Petrie knows it as well." She said, causing a painful thought to suddenly form within Ortin's mind. He sighed deeply as he asked a question he knew could be an uncomfortable one for the girl.

"Glide… I'd like to ask about your parents. I know you never liked them too much but… you actively stood up to your dad yesterday! You'll… they will never see you as family again." He asked, feeling his chest ache as he thought about his own family. The more the thought of it, the more he had began to despise every member of his "noble" line that he had known. He still wanted to find something positive about it all… but it was getting more and more difficult he thought of them and Peak. Glide grinned slightly as she heard that question, her voice a mix of bitterness and despise.

"Good riddance for them! Ortin, you know I never liked mother or father and now that I know what dad was always up to, I don't him to even acknowledge me either. It seems like neither of us exactly liked our folks." She said, clearly happy by the fact that she could now lead her own life. Ortin looked at her oddly, wondering if it were better to completely let his ties to his family disappear. He still loved his father but he had met his end a long time ago whereas his grandmother… Ortin shook his head as he tried to reconcile the good times with her with the elderly flyer's efforts to kill him. The boy's voice was meek and bothered as he answered.

"You are right but… even after all, I still have some in my family who I wish were alive but… but your folks are still here. It just doesn't feel right." He said, hiss thoughts and emotions a complete mess. He was at a complete loss of what to think but at the very least, the crushing pain he had felt when he had witnessed his family being torn to pieces had disappeared a long time ago. Now, he only had to get to terms with himself. In the end, he had to agree with Glide: despite all, both flyers' lives were easier now that hey had no oppressive families holding them back. Glide turned to look at Ortin sadly while speaking to him silently.

"We both know by now there are many things in this life that don't feel right, Ortin. But by all means, let's hear what Petrie has to tell." She said as she looked at the flyer family looking at Petrie curiously.

* * *

Petrie had never been a dinosaur who greatly enjoyed being the center of attention and even now, he felt very uncomfortable as the eyes of his siblings and mother bored deep into him. Even then, he was more than prepared to tell them everything he had gone through. His chest swelled as he thought about all the good and bad times that he had survived and he truly hoped that even Donnie and Terra would change their opinions about him. Petrie frowned slightly as he heard his mother speak to him.

"Go on, Petrie. Tell us everything as I'm sure there are many interesting stories you have to share." She asked with a smile even if inside she wasn't nearly as eager to hear her son's story. His encounter with Donnie had shown just how much the boy had changed and Volant knew that suck changes simply didn't happen by accident. She even dreaded about what was to come and she felt already bad for Petrie about it all. The male locked eyes with his mother before gulping audibly and asking her the first question.

"Me will, momma. But Petrie's story very long and… me would like to know about your departure from the Valley first. Petrie returned there first and… Etta told me that you left because the Valley became a bad place to live in and that the others only fought with each other." He asked, causing his mother's gaze to fall slightly. She felt sorry for Petrie for all the fearful searching she had forced him to embark on but before she could answer, Skybeak cried to him.

"That is mildly said, Petrie! The other herds did nothing but argue and threaten each other all day long! They acted even more miserably than you used to, Petrie." He spoke with a clear smirk, knowing he was testing his mother's patience. Petrie frowned at first but soon enough, he could tell that his brother's words were meant to be a harmless joke. Despite that, Volant gave him a murderous stare before giving her answer.

"That is true, Petrie. After the storm ravaged the Valley, I saw no reason for us to stay in the Valley surrounded by those idiots and… and I hated the fact that everything in the Valley reminded me about you. I'm so sorry about everything you went through to find us. I truly am, Petrie." She spoke, causing the younger flyer's gaze to fall as well. It had all been just a maze of mistakes and unlucky coincidences that no one had wanted to happen. He took a deep breath before asking another question he still wanted an answer to.

"It okay, momma. But… but why you come here, of all places?" He asked, looking at the wastelands around him. He had been slightly bothered by the fact that he had had no idea where his family could escape in a time like this. Volant took a brief sigh, her guilt worsening be the second.

"Petrie, I should gave told you all from the beginning where we'd go if something bad happened in the Valley. I just never… never thought something like that could happen. In any case, I spotted this place on our journey to the Valley and I found it to be a safe spot surrounded by at least little green food. I thought of this as a temporary place to retreat to from the beginning but I never told it to you, kids. I'm sorry." She said, looking at the younger flyers with apologetic eyes. Petrie stared at her with a slightly bothered expression, not willing to see his mother like this. He cleared his throat before starting his long story.

"V… very well. As for Petrie, me story a terrible one from the start. The first thing we tried to do after leaving all of you was to try to get Chomper home. Ruby would find her parents at some point but we had no idea where Chomper's momma and daddy were." He started, earning worried looks from his siblings. They had feared Chomper from the very beginning and their sentiments didn't seem much better at this point either. Petrie felt weird as he recited those events, feeling as if he was retelling a dream. It felt like ages since he had last met either of those dinosaurs. It was even like… like he hadn't met them at all. Like he was telling something he hadn't really been a part of. Petrie felt his heart aching as he continued.

"But that never happen. Soon, we met a group of fastbiters and… and Petrie was left all alone." He said, causing his mother to gasp audibly. She knew just how much his friends had meant to Petrie and she couldn't help but regret the fact that Petrie had been forced to go through all that. Besides, she knew very well how much she owed to Petrie's friends herself… The older flyer sighed sadly as she spoke to her son.

"I'm… I'm so very sorry, Petrie. None of them deserved that fate… except for Chomper. I wish I were there with you." She said, knowing her words would do little to help Petrie but she simply wasn't going to act as if Chomper had been innocent. The sharptooth had been behind all of this when he had killed a denizen of the Valley. Petrie's expression darkened at first but after a moment, it softened again. What was done was done. He had no wish to argue about Chomper with his mother, not after everything that had happened. He simply continued, not showing in any way he had even heard his mother's words.

"Me also hurt me wing on that day. For a moment, Petrie even thought me would die out there, all alone and with a broken wing. And Petrie would have… hadn't it been for uncle Pterano." At this point, there were even more signs of interest among his audience. His siblings stared at him in interest, Tovi crying to him in clear excitement.

"Pterano? How is he doing? What did you and he do then?" He cried, missing him just as badly as Petrie had. Terra's face brightened as well but she wasn't going to ask anything from the flyer she despised so deeply. There were other calls as well but Volant waved them silent. She then looked at her son curiously, genuinely willing to know what had become of her brother.

"I'm glad my brother could at least be of help to someone. But Petrie, I trust you'll tell more about his whereabouts as you continue." She asked, hoping the next parts of Petrie's recount would cheer him up a bit. Deep inside, she knew that was merely a fool's hope but that's what she wanted to believe. Petrie's heavy gaze killed that wish almost completely, though, as he continued.

"Uncle… saved me from a few sharptooth flyers… and gave me a new temporary home. He brought me to a large flyer herd where he acted as one of the leaders' deputy. That also where Ortin and Glide come in." He said as he nodded at the duo. Volant didn't like those words at all as she was far from convinced the duo were the best potential friends for her son, especially as she looked at their scars and their hardened facial features. She couldn't hide her unease as Glide started to speak.

"Or from my perspective, that's where Petrie came in! He beat me in a flying race even if he was still clearly hurt by his earlier accident! I can't blame him but he made my life very miserable as he earned his place among us." She said, prompting Volant to ask the next logical question. She frowned deeply as she spoke to her son, her heart racing as she thought about the possible answers.

"I always knew you were a great flyer when you were allowed to do it your own way, Petrie. But… I have to know, what herd was it?" She asked, noticing Ortin and Glide's deep unease at those words. Back in the day, she had been forced to know the names of practically every flyer leader and even in the Valley, she hadn't skipped the chance to listen to news from the farwalkers. The female's face fell as Ortin spat in disgust before answering.

"Our herd was led by Peak, Nimble, Nira and Lenel back then. I'm sure you've heard those names." He said in a chilly voice, confirming much of Volant's fears. One pride-filled flyer was already bad enough but to have four of them… she didn't know the continuation of the story but she knew it wouldn't be to her liking. She took a few gasps before sitting down on a small rock to calm her mind. Petrie was about to check if she was alright before he heard his mother ask him almost sternly.

"And what was my brother doing with them?" She brought her hand to her forehead, dreading to learn everything that had happened. The change within Petrie and Pterano's absence made her stomach sick but even then, she had to know the rest of the story. The boy cocked his head slightly as he thought about his answer. After a moment, he gave it.

"He was Lenel's deputy and his most trusted one at that." He merely said but there was no change within Volant's expression. After a while, the female growled oddly.

"Go on, Petrie." She said, causing a wave of nervousness wash over the male. He hated the fact that he was going to confirm his mother's fears but he knew she deserved him to be honest with her.

"Well… Petrie was accepted into the herd and after a while, me got to know Ortin and Glide. We liked each other already but… me tell of it later. At first, Petrie thought uncle Pterano and me new friends would make things good again but… it wasn't long until bad things start to happen. It all started when… when Ortin's dad was killed." He said but before anyone could say anything, Ortin walked closer to the flyer family while struggling to keep his rage at bay.

"He was murdered in cold blood within his sleep! I was at his side all along but noticed nothing! When I woke up, my… my dad lied dead beside me, his throat cut open! And the worst thing is that I'm sure the one we got later for that deed wasn't the real culprit! It was all a lie!" He cried with teary eyes, causing the other flyers to look at him with either stunned or sympathetic eyes. Volant sighed deeply as she looked at him, not at all surprised that the boy's life had been anything but easy. However, before she could speak, another flyer answered to Ortin first.

"W… what do you mean? Why would you punish someone who hadn't done anything?" Tovi asked, the other male's words not making sense in his mind. Ortin rolled his moist eyes but he didn't waste time giving his answer about this most sickening of memories.

"I guess he did it but he certainly didn't act alone! The investigation stopped there because our leaders felt that investigating further would have broken the peace in our herd! My father was Peak's cousin so… so it was a difficult issue for many." He said, finally allowing his emotions to show. There were close to no unsympathetic faces around the clearly mournful flyer. Volant crossed her arms before speaking silently.

"All of that sounds far too familiar. All of that plotting and intrigue is the main reason I never searched for safety among the larger herds. I'm so sorry for everything, Ortin." Volant said, earning only a slight nod from the younger dinosaur. Petrie exchanged glances with him before continuing from where he had ended his little tale.

"But things got worse quickly. Petrie… ran into a problem with Ortin and Glide because… because of me being from the Valley and me already thought our friendship was over. For a while it was… but things got better again but only much later. A bit later, we were attacked and… Nimble was killed in that battle." Those words caused Volant to look towards the skies, knowing that in the next few seconds she'd hear something she certainly wouldn't like. She could question Petrie about his friends later but right now, the trio seemed to be on good terms. She merely waved Petrie to go on, a chill starting to form ion her heart.

"After that, the other leaders didn't trust each other and after a long fight… they decided to break the herd apart. All of them but Lenel… who attacked the other leaders and their followers." He said with a heavy voice, doing his best to keep himself from losing his calm as he thought about the horrifying night. However, when he heard one of his sisters' question, he broke up completely.

"But… uncle Pterano was Lenel's deputy, wasn't he? Did they win?" She asked but at that point, Petrie could no longer hold his emotions in. The boy turned at his mother and sobbed to her in an inconsolable voice.

"Uncle Pterano never see the next morning! He was slaughtered out there and Petrie could do nothing about it! Uncle is dead, momma! Dead because he served an evil flyer like Lenel!" He cried with wide eyes, looking as the older female stared at him with glassed eyes. For a moment, Petrie looked at his mother with an expression that begged for consoling but Volant wasn't able to give it. Not now. There was a chorus of mournful wails and alarmed questions from her children as the older female tried to rise to her feet but before she could take a step, she stumbled to her feet, dropping on all fours to the ground as tears started to fall to the ground.

Yes, her brother had done sickening deeds and yes, he had betrayed her trust twice in the most serious way but… but he was still her brother! The duo had shared their entire childhoods and even as adults, they had been closer than most siblings of their kind. Volant started to weep even more as she thought about the days when both he and Tuulen had been there by her side, the three of them facing the future together.

And even after her mate's death, Pterano had been there. Even if she had been far from happy with him back then, she couldn't deny the contributions he had given to keeping the children safe and her spirits up. And after his exile from the Valley, she had genuinely hoped he had changed back to the Pterano she knew but… that was all over now. She'd have no chance to tell him how much he had meant to her, no chance for some final reconciliation… nothing. After a moment, she heard Petrie's alarmed voice speak to her.

"Momma, are you alright? Please get up!" He asked, the sight of his mother practically lying in the ground haunting him immensely. After a few seconds, she slowly rose back to her feet while trying to calm herself down. She took a deep breath before asking her son the obvious question.

"I'm… I'm so very sorry, Petrie. B…but what happened to him? Do you know… what happened to my dear brother?" She asked, tears falling down from her eyes. The other flyers around the duo were either staring into nothingness or sobbing deeply. Yes, they had known Pterano for a short time but they could still remember him during the early days of their lives. It was clear that there would be no moist eyes left tonight. Petrie tore his gaze away from his mother as he tried to find the right words.

"P… Petrie wasn't there but me… me heard that Peak… attacked him in the back and tore his throat open! Me only saw his body later on… poor uncle…" He sobbed as he thought of that horrible morning. At first, Volant was about to turn around to gather her thoughts until she realized what she really had to do. With forced movements, she knelt besides her son and embraced the boy slowly. She tried to fight her own sorrow as she comforted the broken child in front of her.

"There, there, it's over now, Petrie. I… I can't imagine what it was like out there. I'm so very sorry you had to go all that. No one ever should have but these things happen sometimes. Just don't blame yourself for any of it." She said, as she raised her gaze upwards. These news were monstrous enough on their own but to hear what Petrie was gone through… it was all so very, very wrong… She listened silently as she listened to Petrie's next words.

"Pterano continued to make many mistakes… but he never deserved this. Not even if this was the worst mistake he ever did…" He sobbed, regretting he'd have to continue his story further. He had gotten over the most painful part but the memory of that moment lingered in his mind without any end. Volant slowly let Petrie go before answering to him in a warm voice.

"None of us do if we are willing to learn from everything we did wrong. B… but what is this mistake you're talking about?" She asked, willing to get over thus most depressing of moments. Petrie sat on the ground behind himself before going on, returning himself into the day that was likely the worst one of his entire life.

"Lenel was evil all along and uncle still helped him! Petrie tell of that later but me continue telling what happened after that. Petrie tried to get out of the herd but when that failed, a flyer called Hoist I had met a few times before appeared. He… wasn't Petrie's friend." He said, his sorrow slowly turning to guilt. Volant was trying to keep her interest in the story up even if her mind lingered within her memories of Pterano.

Glide listened to Petrie with saddened eyes, not having heard that part of Petrie's past recounted this deeply. At this point, she simply hated herself for trying to end her friendship with Petrie in the first place and adding to the pain the boy had felt. It seemed his past had been even more difficult than she had thought. However, she hoped her thoughts would brighten in the next parts of Petrie's tale.

"In fact, he started to attack uncle Pterano after his death in the most disgusting ways possible. Petrie… me could stand him and we fight… and me nearly kill him." He said to many gasps. However, before anyone else could say anything about those news, Donnie walked closer to Petrie and snorted at him in disgust.

"You couldn't hurt a maimed crawler, Petrie! That is a bad lie and that makes one wonder, how much more of your tale is made up? Perhaps you just hid in some small hole in the ground inventing some story simply to make yourself better in momma's eyes? And those two are likely some as pitiful outcasts as you are? Am I right?" He asked, Petrie's eyes widening in outrage as Donnie approached him. Volant turned at her son in outrage and snarled at him in cold rage before she was cut short.

"How dare you, Donnie? Your brother was through all of that and you… STILL MOCK HIM? GET OUT…"

"Is that it? Do you really wish to test just how pitiful we are, Donnie, was it? You really should have taken Petrie's place as you would have been torn to pieces within a day in our herd." Ortin said as he walked towards Donnie whose courage nearly failed as he saw the more muscular boy approach him. At first, he thought of simply asking him to get away from his eyes but then, he simply decided that he wasn't going to show any weakness to the other flyer.

"How can I know that you aren't? At least only a fool would befriend Petrie." He said but inside, his mental blockade was starting to fail. For the first time in his life, he saw someone apart from his mother defend Petrie and he didn't like it in the least. Usually he had earned his siblings' admiration by humiliating Petrie but now… now he was the center of despise and outrage. Slowly but surely, he felt doubts starting to rise within him but no matter what, he'd never reveal that to Petrie. His mood fell further as Glide moved to Ortin's side.

"You know what, Donnie? Hoist was far worse than you were and Petrie beat him all on his own. I can only advise you to stay far away from him if you wish to keep being this small, slimy idiot you are! Come, Ortin. He isn't worth our time." She said before turning around, soon followed by Ortin. Donnie looked after them, extremely relieved inside that they had left him alone. Petrie had followed that scene warily but in the end, he was more than thankful to his two friends for helping him on this hour. He cleared his throat again as he prepared to continue.

"Me can tell every word true, Donnie. But after that, Lenel sent me away to the Valley. That was when Petrie thought me would see you again but that never happen of course. But it wasn't all for nothing because at the very least I learned that L…" His expression brightened as he was about to tell of the longneck's survival but a sudden realization killed the words within his mouth. Of course he should tell his family the truth but…

The boy suddenly frowned as he realized that if he told that his journey was still incomplete, his mother would try to prevent him from going on or at the very least offer her aid. But doing so would cause his entire family to be put to severe danger when the final showdown with Lenel eventually came. And that could mean only more bloodshed and sorrow. Petrie suddenly felt more miserable than in a while as he looked at his mother's expectant look, knowing he'd have to lie to her. He could only hope he'd make the right choice for his family, for Littlefoot and for himself.

"I learned that Guido was still out there! Yep, Guido and Etta were both there! Petrie would have wanted to stay in the Valley but… me wanted to find all of you! Me friends gone as well so there not that much for Petrie out there. Especially with everything that happened there." He said but his little lie wasn't lost on his audience. Volant frowned as she noticed that Petrie was lying but she couldn't say about what. And she wouldn't want to embarrass him before his siblings in a moment like this so no matter how difficult it was for her as a mother, she silently accepted Petrie's words.

"I already told you I'm sorry, Petrie. I should have been there but… there was no way I could have known you we alive! I thought it was certain that you were gone when you spent weeks and weeks away from the Valley! At least I would have wanted some message from you." She said heavily, her mind dwelling within her memories with Pterano. She couldn't help but pity her poor son… it was a wonder he had gone through all of that and still able to be even as close to his old self as he still was. Petrie looked at the older flyer for a while before answering those words.

"M… me wanted to get back but… me no longer knew where the Valley as after the sand cloud. As for uncle, he would have wanted to contact you in the Valley… but Petrie didn't. Me feared the Valley would still hate me for what happen with Chomper." He said, only now realizing the full folly of what he had done. Volant shook her head in disbelief as she knelt by her son's side.

"Petrie, look at me. Yes, the days following that meeting were more than difficult and the domeheads started a real push to drive the longnecks from the Valley. When they left from their own free will, they agreed to drop their demands against Ducky and Cera's families and me. It is true that many wouldn't have wanted your return back then… but that should never have stopped you from returning.

I will never let any of my children suffer because of the pride of some foolish herds and I would have done anything for you if I just knew you were still alive. The reason I didn't head after you immediately was that a real battle was starting to start in the Valley and when that threat was over, you had already managed to head to some place where I didn't find you before dark and by next morning it was already too late. But if anything like this ever happens again, come back to me as soon as you simply can so that these kinds of messes will never come to pass again. Do you understand?" He asked while she stared deep into her son's eyes. Petrie returned that look s he took a deep breath before answering.

"Me do, momma. Petrie… Petrie was just afraid back then. Afraid of both the Valley and even afraid of what you say about Chomper." He said while cocking his head slightly. Volant pulled Petrie slightly closer to herself as she gave him the answer.

"From the very beginning I thought that allowing Chomper to the Valley was a mistake, Petrie, but I would never blame you for something someone else but you would do." She said, earning a slight smile from Petrie. He didn't approve in the least about his mother's comments about his old friend but… after all this time, he simply didn't care enough for him to start arguing with his mother. He still loved Chomper but… his friendship with the sharptooth felt so very distant right now. His thoughts were interrupted as Ortin's curious voice broke the brief silence.

"Who is this Chomper? I don't think I've heard of him before." The flyer asked, that name causing him to frown somewhat. It was an odd name for any leaf eater and even after everything he knew about Petrie, he wasn't ready for the answer which wasn't given by Petrie but by Skybeak.

"Chomper was a sharptooth that helped us a few times but he was still a sharptooth! I feared he'd lose his mind one day and attack someone and it did happen at last! His killing of a resident of the Valley was the real reason all of this started!" He cried to which Petrie finally snapped in an annoyed voice that clearly demanded that conversation to stop.

"Chomper only protect his best friend from the clubtail! He still not a monster even if his attack did kill her! Stop attacking him for that, he deserve at least that much!" He yelled, earning deep frowns from his siblings. Petrie's own eyes were locked with those of Ortin and Glide's who stared at him in clear suspicion. They were clearly beyond stunned by those news but even then, both of them realized they shouldn't have been surprised by those news. It seemed like Petrie could surprise them more and more by the day. After a few moments, Petrie calmed down again and started to speak but before he got much further, he realized one thing he had overlooked.

"Well, after me visit to the Valley, Petrie started to follow two of Lenel's new deputies… Uhh… me just realized me didn't tell how that previous battle end. Well… Lenel kill Nira and drive Peak away. He now the only leader." He said, causing his mother to shake her head once again. At this point, she wasn't particularly interested in herd politics but she was still disappointed by those words.

"I had hoped better from Olres' heir but it seems like I can't underestimate the pride of flyer leaders." She said, causing Petrie to frown deeply. So, Olres' name was practically as widespread as he had been made to believe if even his own mother had known of it all along. However, he didn't allow that to hold him back as he went on to finish the story which he hated deeply but which had made him better in so many ways.

"Anyway, Petrie was sent to the Valley with his deputies and me hid meself from them as Petrie returned to the herd. Etta had told Petrie to start me search for you in the same place the herd was but… Petrie learned nothing new there. There only more bloodshed and death when Peak return to kill Lenel.

It was at that point when Petrie saw Ortin again for the first time since… since uncle's death. Lenel want to kill him as well because he a part of Peak's family. He the last one left of it." He said as Ortin nodded simply to the others to confirm that tale. Volant looked at the boy in clear compassion even if she knew it as well that she didn't have many tears left for strangers. She only spoke to Ortin briefly, sick from the thought of all that had happened.

"I can't imagine how you got through all of that, Ortin. I'm so sorry that not even children can be saved from these atrocities." She said, looking as a few tears fell from Ortin's eyes. Even if he managed to retain a somewhat brave face, it was clear to everyone he was hurting badly inside.

Petrie glanced deeply at his friend, his mood falling further as he realized this was his time to wrap up his story. If he wanted to keep the remainder of his quest as a secret, he couldn't tell of Littlefoot's survival or his lingering feud with Lenel. He hated those thoughts but that was the only way to keep his family safe.

"The worst thing of all is that it happen yesterday. After that, we tried to find some meaning in it all… unless me saw Tovi flying above us. That how we got there." He said, a moment of silence reigning over the group for a moment. Glide was especially torn as she looked at her friend, realizing very clearly that he was lying. But inside, she was more than content with it as that fact confirmed that Petrie hadn't abandoned the trio's plan after finding his family. She was more than unhappy with the emotions Petrie's tale had raised but of course, all of that was to be expected.

Another flyer who was uncharasterically silent was Terra. She had turned her head away from Petrie, not willing to see him in her eyes. She still despised everything within him but… but his story haunted her mind. She tended to believe her friends that it was all a lie… but her mind told her otherwise. Everything within the boy's story sounded genuine enough and his two companions supported everything he said completely.

A void started to form within the girl's mind as she tried to decide what to think and believe. Deep down, she knew her comments of Petrie being a completely hopeless failure had been wrong but… she simply wasn't a flyer who gave up that easily. She glanced at Donnie whose expression was just as torn, both of them knowing that their carte blanche from their siblings to harass Petrie had come to an end.

Volant stared at her son with a stunned look, everything about his tale sickening her deeply. She knew he hadn't told everything about Lenel or his search but right now, she was only thankful about that. Her heart was already heavy enough and deep down, she only wanted to get away from this situation to gather her thoughts and start mourning properly. Finally, she spoke to the boy that was simultaneously warm and tired.

"You certainly have a natural tendency to find adventures, don't you, Petrie? Though, this time everything would have been better if this one hadn't happened. Thank you for telling all of this to me. You are more than welcome to come speak to me about it all if you want to but… I'd want to have a short moment to think about my brother. But know that I'm beyond overjoyed to see you back here, Petrie. And you two as well." She said as she nodded at Ortin and Glide.

Inside, however, she knew that nothing would ever be the same again. Petrie had seen countless dinosaurs getting killed before him, including his uncle, and he had even been ready to kill this Hoist in cold blood. All the tragedy and drama that had happened would never leave her son's heart and Volant realized more than well that his siblings would have a hard time understanding Petrie's mentality from now on. She couldn't help but smile solemnly at her son's lost childhood as he answered to her again.

"Me likely will, momma. But that's mostly what Petrie been doing lately. Petrie sorry about uncle Pterano but… me had to tell about him too." He said as he looked at his mother's haunted expression. The silence around him was deafening as none of his siblings found any words to say after hearing of their uncle's passing. Volant glanced at Petrie briefly, speaking to him silently before she turned around to take her leave.

"Of course you had to, Petrie. You owe it to him and… we others as well. Children, you can always seek me out if you want. I understand these news will be difficult but… but it is all a part of the Circle of Life. I'm just sad that I…I couldn't fly it to the end with him." She sobbed as she headed away from the small clearing, her sense of responsibility still intact within her. Even in a moment like this, she couldn't go very far or she'd leave her children unprotected.

Petrie looked after her with heavy eyes, hating to see her like this. He sighed deeply, in a clear loss about to do from now on. He locked glances with Ortin and Glide before the duo rose into the air, more than willing to give the distressed family a bit more time to calm down.

* * *

After a while of wandering around, Petrie understood just why his mother had chosen to move to this particular place. The peak on which the flyers' new nest lied on overlooked wide distances of the surrounding lands, making ambushing anyone living on it practically impossible. Even better, its slower slopes resembled a complicated maze and it offered many places to hide from any sharpteeth. The boy smiled slightly as he saw small patches of green sticking out from under the ground sparkles which was a rare sight on this season. Yes, this was a place worthy of being called home but… but that very thought caused Petrie's mood to fall steeply.

The thing is, he wanted to stay here, grow up with his siblings safe from most dangers and forget everything about Lenel, his herd and the bloodshed he had caused. Even Littlefoot… it would be so much easier to stay here and tell to himself he could never find the longneck anyway. He had everything he needed here, many great brothers and sisters, shelter, food, his mother…Everything would be so very simple if he simply ended his adventure here and started to live a quiet life away from everything bad.

Even Donnie had stayed silent during the conclusion of his tale and their encounter in the morning had proved that the older boy was no longer the threat and nuisance he had once been. A slight smile rose to Petrie's face as he thought about the future he could have if he simply did nothing. All it would take was to explain the situation to Ortin and Glide and his life would take a major turn for the better.

The flyer sighed as he looked at the sight around himself, more than surprised to see the smoke rising from the Mountains that Burn far, far away in the distance. These lands reminded him of his first adventure even if they weren't quite as desolate as they were back then. The memories of these areas returned to his mind and in a way, they raised nostalgia to the mind of the young dinosaur. Yes, this would be a good place to call his home and…

"Hey, Petrie! That was quite an impression you made upon the others! I… I didn't know just how much your uncle's death affected you. I'm sorry I ever attacked you about him." Ortin said as he landed beside his friend. Petrie twitched noticeably as he saw the duo land beside him but it didn't take long for him to calm down and answer that comment.

"It okay, Ortin. Yesterday was a terrible day for everyone. Petrie not even remember that fight anymore." He said, not finding the strength to care about such things anymore. Ortin gave him a slight smile for that answer but it didn't take long until Glide got to the main part of the conversation. Her voice was kind but urgent which didn't make Petrie's thoughts much brighter.

"That's great, Petrie. But anyway, we have to get going soon enough! I know you're happy you found your family but that doesn't change the fact that Lenel is getting better every second and we can't waste more time if we wish to stop him!" She said, the implications of her words more than clear. Petrie stared forward for a few seconds while burying his head in his hands. When she finally answered, his voice was a weary and unsure one.

"Me thought about that and… Petrie thought that me have pretty much anything me need out here." He said simply, causing the girl's jaw to drop. After everything that had happened, that hadn't been the answer she had expected to hear. She frowned deeply as she moved closer to Petrie, willing to end this dispute here and now.

"Petrie… we all agreed that we'd stop Lenel and find the Land of the Dancing Waters, remember? This is something we simply have to do." She said softly, willing to hear no further objections. Petrie turned at her slowly, clearly torn inside.

"But back then, me hadn't found me family! And now that Petrie has, me don't want to lose them again!" He said but before he got any further, Ortin spoke to him in a much sterner voice that wasn't nearly as understanding as Glide's.

"And because of that, you wish to let the monster who ruined our families off the hook? Is that really what you are going to do, Petrie? Is it?" He asked, not willing to believe this was even an issue. Petrie started to stutter, knowing he was wrong… even if it felt like it was right. He tried to gather his thoughts, hoping to save the situation somehow.

"Petrie sure you could stay near us as well! There no need to go see more death!" He tried to reason but before he could finish, Ortin grabbed Petrie's arm and spoke to him almost menacingly.

"Even if we could stay, I wouldn't be able to rest for a moment, knowing Lenel is going to rule our entire kind. After all, it was you who so convincingly preached about the magical powers of that place and if you were right, Lenel will claim all of them! It was you who wanted to find this friend, Littlefoot was it, using those very powers! Was he completely made up or are you willing to abandon your friend to his fate because you tell yourself that your life is complete now? Are you?" He asked, causing Petrie's beak to shudder slightly.

Suddenly, the brown-colored boy realized just how selfishly he had acted towards everyone. The joy of reunion had just blinded his judgement for a moment but inside, Petrie could feel his heart telling that what he was saying was wrong. Littlefoot was still out there and he simply couldn't allow Lenel to win, not after he had done to Ortin's family… and uncle Pterano. Petrie turned to look directly at Ortin and took a deep sigh as he prepared to answer.

"You right, Ortin. Petrie just wanted to believe it all over for me… but me cannot leave you in trouble. Nor Littlefoot. Hopefully you not mad at Petrie." He said, slowly realizing all the implications of his earlier hesitation. Glide's face softened first and she even smiled as she spoke to Petrie.

"Don't worry about that. Of course anyone would want to sometimes lay down and believe the worst is behind us. But finally moving on is the most important one even if I's sure leaving your family behind is far from easy for you." She said, causing the boy no nod slightly. He waited for a while before speaking again, already regretting the pain he'd have to cause to his mother again. Still, there was no longer hesitation within his voice.

"Me no know if you realized it but Petrie never told of out future plan to momma because inside, Petrie always ready to move forward. But let me spend this evening here. It… easier for all of to move on in the dark of the night." He said, looking in deep regret at the small cave she had seen her mother go to gather her thoughts after her brother's death. He hated everything about his situation but inside, he knew it would get far worse before it would get better. Ortin rolled his eyes as he turned to look at the skies and gave his answer.

"That's the best we can hope for, I guess. Just remember not to make any fuss when we finally leave a few hours after the Bright Circle sets." He said, not expecting to hear any objections but Petrie wasn't completely happy with that order. He quickly turned at the other male and spoke to him even more urgently than needed.

"Petrie not do that! Me mean that… momma, brothers and sisters deserve to know where me go this time. Petrie will wake Tovi up and tell him where we are going to go." He said with distant eyes, causing Glide to snap at him in near shock.

"You can't tell him that! They'd follow us immediately!" She cried, not really willing to believe her ears. Petrie, however, wasn't too happy by the question and his expression was nearly hostile as he gave his answer.

"Of course me not tell them where we going! Me just tell that we off to stop Lenel and find Littlefoot! Hopefully that good enough for you!" He nearly cried before realizing just how excessive his voice was. However, he saw no clear reason to apologize for those words and Glide's exchange of glances with Ortin confirmed that his plan wasn't too badly received." After a while, the girl gave her answer and spoke to her friend in a more silent voice.

"Very well if you truly believe Tovi is trustworthy enough to not alert the others immediately! Let's go, Ortin. We'll have a long day ahead of us." Glide said as she took off, immediately followed by Ortin.

Petrie looked after them for a moment, taking a deep sigh as he turned to look at the Bright Circle which still lingered relatively high in the sky, praying deep down that this wouldn't be the last evening he'd ever spend with his family. Yes, he still had work to do but… but he could just pray that the things he had already won wouldn't be stripped away from him by some cruel twist of fate. The flyer looked longingly into the horizon, having decided to savor this short moment of peace before the next, hopefully last part of his journey.

* * *

 **It seems like the last chapter's reunion was but a small stop for Petrie as after everything that has happened, he simply can't turn his back to all his friends. Whether his decision will be the right one, it will be seen soon enough… Yeah, this chapter was a much slower one but I felt that we had to see just how Petrie's family reacts to Petrie's adventure. To be honest, the idea wasn't just my own as it was proposed by Rhombus so thanks to him!**

 **You may or may not have noticed but Donnie, Terra and Skybeak were the three bullies from DiddyKF1's rather recent short story Gone Too Far as I felt that allowing them to make kind of a cameo would make Petrie's development in this fic more concrete. Thanks a lot for allowing me to use them, Diddy! That being said, I hope you liked this chapter and let me know what you think of it!**

 **Anagnos: I'm really happy about your praise! Battle scenes aren't what I find the funniest to write so that makes your words even better! Your comments about Greentail are very true as Ruby has been sorry for Greentail's injury from the beginning and her death will be a huge blow for her, certainly. And it goes without saying that the entire family will have a very bleak future from now on.**

 **And yep, this chapter is certainly very long but there weren't many scenes I felt could be cut as this installment needed a lot of time to live up to its potential. Though, that won't be a major problem going forward as there will be one major battle left at most. But again, thanks a lot for the kind review!**

 **Guest: Hmm, not sure. Perhaps but not in this story.**

 **The Rhombus: Hollow victories often tend to be the ones with the most interesting and emotional outcomes, at least in my opinion. Here, it allows us to move on from this long chase but simultaneously creating new plotlines that will help this story in its way towards conclusion. Ruby is most likely the one most hurt by these events and she certainly has much to come to terms with in the next chapters.**

 **I'm also happy by your words about the pacing as I'm quite content with it myself. This battle seemed to move forward naturally to thanks a lot for those words! As for the future, it will indeed be bleak and I truly hope I can build on the apparently well-received events of this installment.**


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